doc_text
stringlengths 157
16.7k
| summary_text
stringlengths 26
11.1k
| highlight_spans
stringlengths 9
3.7k
|
|---|---|---|
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Known for building skate parks and shaping the skateboarding scene in New York , Andy Kessler , 48 , died this week after an allergic reaction to an insect sting , friends and family told news media . Andy Kessler , seen in 2005 , reportedly died this week after suffering an allergic reaction to an insect sting . Kessler 's death is a reminder that stings can be deadly for those with an allergy to certain insects , the American Academy of Allergy , Asthma & Immunology said Friday . At least 40 people in the United States die each year as the result of insect stings , the academy said . As many as 5 percent of Americans are at risk for a severe , potentially life-threatening allergic reaction from insect stings , according to the organization . In a typical week in the emergency room , doctors at Emory University Hospital Midtown in Atlanta , Georgia , see about six or fewer cases of people with allergic reactions to insects , said Dr. James P. Capes , director of the emergency department . `` It 's common , but not incredibly common , '' he said . Typically , when stung by an insect , a person will have no reaction or a mild local reaction , such as redness , swelling or itching at the site of the sting . However , some people experience a more widespread reaction , such as a drop in blood pressure , lightheadedness or hives all over . iReport.com : Send us your allergy stories . In the most serious cases , a person can go into anaphylaxis , a condition in which he or she may have difficulty breathing . Other symptoms include swelling of the mouth or throat , itchy skin , wheezing , cough and localized pain , said Dr. Clifford Bassett , medical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York . Capes advises people who experience a systemic reaction to call 911 and wait for an ambulance , because it will have medicine to treat the reaction immediately . An antihistamine such as Benadryl will be given and , in severe cases , a shot of epinephrine . Even if the reaction is not severe , Benadryl will help with normal symptoms of insect stings , Capes said . Those who have had allergic reactions to insects should always carry an antihistamine and an epinephrine auto-injector for emergencies , experts said . Insect allergies may be harder to control than some food allergies because it 's not always possible to predict when bees , wasps and other stinging bugs are around , Capes said . Severe reactions do n't usually happen the very first time a person gets stung , Capes said . `` The thing about allergic reactions that is interesting , or scary , is that we never know what the next allergic reaction is going to be , '' he said . For those who have a history of anaphylactic reactions to insects , vaccines are available for yellow jackets , wasps , honey bees and fire ants , Bassett said . The immunization process takes three to five years , he said . There are also blood and skin tests that people can take to determine whether they are sensitive to these insects , he said . Besides anaphylaxis , people may experience other kinds of reactions , Bassett said . If a person is stung hundreds of times at once , he or she may need emergency care , as the venom may lead to seizures , shock and even death , he said . There is also a rare reaction called serum sickness that includes joint pain and flu-like illness that may result from insect stings , and has allergy-like symptoms , Bassett said . In rare cases , even mosquito bites can lead to anaphylaxis , Bassett said . There is no treatment for mosquito allergies , but there is a diagnostic test , he said . Bassett offers the following tips to reduce the danger of insects : . • Stay away from stinging insect nests when possible . • Consider wearing closed-toed shoes in an area where there may be many stinging insects . • Remain calm and quiet around a stinging insect , and move slowly away from it . • Avoid brightly colored clothing , as well as perfumes and scented hair products and lotions . • Avoid loose-fitting clothing , which can accidentally trap the insect . • Use caution when eating outdoors , especially when sodas or other sweetened drinks are available . For more tips on managing insect allergies , visit the American Academy of Allergy , Asthma & Immunology Web site . The American College of Allergy , Asthma and Immunology can also help you find an allergist . | At least 40 people in the U.S. die each year as the result of insect stings . Insect allergies may be harder to control than food allergies . If you are allergic to insects , carry antihistamine and an epinephrine auto-injector . In rare cases , even mosquito bites can lead to anaphylaxis . | [[506, 590], [593, 611], [2261, 2361], [2261, 2277], [2292, 2425], [2109, 2171], [2178, 2243], [2109, 2157], [2165, 2243], [220, 232], [250, 333], [334, 435], [615, 738], [3362, 3378], [3384, 3413], [3463, 3476], [3479, 3522]] |
PARIS , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Leonardo da Vinci 's masterpiece the `` Mona Lisa '' was attacked with a mug earlier this month , but the world 's most famous painting -- protected by thick glass -- emerged with its enigmatic smile undimmed . The `` Mona Lisa '' sits behind bulletproof glass in the Louvre gallery . French police say a woman `` not in her senses '' lobbed the mug at the 500-year-old painting , which hangs in the Louvre gallery in Paris . The woman , a tourist , was later transferred from police custody to a psychiatric unit , a police spokesman told CNN . The spokesman declined to be identified , and did not say where the woman was from . The `` Mona Lisa , '' considered one of the world 's most valuable paintings , sits behind bulletproof glass in a special wing of the Louvre , attracting visitors in their millions . The Italian Renaissance masterpiece , which depicts a dark-haired young woman with an aloof facial expression , has been the target of attacks in the past . In 1956 the artwork was damaged when acid was thrown at it . A rock was also thrown in a separate incident in the same year . In 1911 it was stolen from the Louvre but was returned two years later . CNN 's Flora Genoux in Paris , France , contributed to this report . | `` Mona Lisa , '' protected by bulletproof glass , is undamaged . Tourist who threw mug has been sent to a psychiatric unit . 500-year-old artwork has suffered previous attacks . | [[149, 169], [173, 197], [245, 318], [684, 686], [744, 805], [460, 469], [484, 493], [506, 547], [460, 469], [488, 547], [848, 883], [960, 1004]] |
CHICAGO , Illinois -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A clerk 's quick flip of a switch foiled a robbery Friday at an Office Depot store in downtown Chicago . Police said a man wearing a light blue button-down shirt and dark slacks entered the store carrying a gun concealed in a folded newspaper . He approached one of the store 's cash registers and demanded the contents of the safe , police said . The clerk refused but immediately turned on the public address system so that other customers could hear what was going on . Hearing his threat broadcast throughout the store , the man fled . He ended up robbing a nearby Fannie May candy store at gunpoint , police said , and fled that store in a white taxi . Authorities said the robber , a man between ages 30 and 40 , was still at large . No injuries were reported in either robbery . | Store clerk switches on PA system after being threatened by man with gun . Armed robber flees after hearing his threat broadcast to customers in the store . Robber struck at nearby Fannie May candy store , holding store up at gunpoint . Authorities say the robber , a man between ages 30 and 40 , is still at large . | [[386, 395], [408, 510], [386, 395], [408, 510], [511, 560], [563, 577], [578, 641], [713, 723], [757, 777]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Syria and Iraq each recalled their ambassadors from the other country Tuesday , after Baghdad demanded that Damascus hand over two suspects in last week 's deadly bombings in the Iraqi capital . Plastic flowers decorate a car destroyed in last week 's bombings in Baghdad , Iraq . Syrian state-run news agency SANA reported the government was ordering its ambassador home after the Iraqi government summoned its envoy from Syria and demanded that Damascus turn over two Iraqis living in Syria who played `` direct roles in the execution of the terror attack , '' last Wednesday , Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said in a statement . A string of bombings struck Iraq 's capital August 19 , with two truck bombs ripping through the Iraqi Finance Ministry and Foreign Ministry . At least 100 people were killed and hundreds more were wounded in Baghdad 's bloodiest day since U.S. troops handed over security control to Iraqi forces and moved outside Iraqi cities nearly two months ago . Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki visited the Foreign Ministry bombing site Tuesday . `` We know it was the Baath Party , known for its heinous crimes throughout history , along with al Qaeda , who did this , '' he said , according to his office . The Islamic State of Iraq , the umbrella group for al Qaeda in Iraq , has claimed responsibility for the attack , which Syria condemned . `` Syria felt pain over those bombings and strongly condemned them , describing those explosions as painful terrorist bombings and reiterating the Syrian support to the security , stability , safety and unity of Iraq , '' SANA reported . `` But what is regretful is the hastiness of the Iraqi government to arbitrarily accuse Syria while analysts say the issue was internal political or , perhaps , foreign disagreements . '' The Iraqi government asked Tuesday that Syria `` hand over all those wanted -LSB- by the Iraqi judiciary -RSB- for committing crimes of murder and destruction against the Iraqi people , '' al-Dabbagh 's statement said . It further demanded that Syria expel `` terrorist organizations that use Syria as a headquarters and launchpad to plan terrorist operations against the Iraqi people . '' SANA reported that the Syrian government was willing to help the Iraqis investigate the bombings . `` Syria informed the Iraqi side of its readiness to receive an Iraqi delegation to inspect the evidence available to them concerning the bombings ' perpetrators , '' a Syrian official said , according to SANA . `` Otherwise Syria considers what has been broadcast through the Iraqi media as mere fabricated evidence intended to serve internal political goals , and the conflicting and contradicting statements by the Iraqi officials are proof of that . '' The official added , `` Syria , which has frequently repeated its keenness on the unity , independence , security and stability of Iraq , expresses its regret that relations between Syria and Iraq have become subject to internal disagreements and perhaps foreign agendas . '' In its claim of responsibility for the attacks , the Islamic State of Iraq said , `` The earth shook under their feet and their hearts were torn in fear and horror . ... And the weakness and fragility of their state became apparent to everyone . '' The statement was posted on Web sites typically used by the group . The Iraqi government released on Sunday what it said was a confession from a man who said he received orders for the bombing of the Finance Ministry building from a member of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein 's Baath Party who now lives in Syria . The videotaped statement from Wissam Ali Kadhim Ibrahim , who was identified as a former Baathist police official , aired on Iraqi television . Ibrahim said he received orders from Sattam Farhan , who he said was a Baath Party leader in Syria . Farhan and Mohammed Younis al-Ahmed , a former senior member of Hussein 's regime , are the two men Iraq demands Syria turn over . The Iraqi government put al-Ahmed as the No. 2 man on a most wanted list it released in 2006 , and the U.S. government announced a $ 1 million reward for him two years earlier . The spokesman for al-Ahmed 's wing of the Baath Party in Syria contended Monday that the videotaped statement was fabricated and alleged that the man could have been paid to make it . The spokesman said the paths and ideologies of the party could never meet with those of al Qaeda , and blamed the attacks on struggles between Shiite parties in Iraq . Some midlevel and senior members of the Baath party sought refuge in Syria after the U.S. invasion that ousted Hussein in 2003 . Al-Maliki asked for the handover of some of those ex-officials during a visit to Damascus last week , Iraqi officials said . | Iraqi PM says `` we know '' bombings were done by al Qaeda and Baath Party . Syria recalls its ambassador to Iraq , state news agency says . Iraq recalls ambassador to Syria amid furor over bombings , which killed 100 . Iraq demands Syria turn over 2 Iraqis living in Syria , who are suspects in the attacks . | [[1118, 1151], [315, 462], [120, 228], [315, 462], [821, 852], [120, 228], [412, 432], [467, 526], [3881, 3916], [3965, 4011]] |
-LRB- AOL Autos -RRB- -- Automotive expert Tom Torbjornsen answers a question about how to diagnose an exhaust problem and what to do about it . Dear Tom , Smoke is coming out of the tailpipe of my 2002 Chrysler Sebring with 90,000 miles . Is this a big problem ? I have to put a quart of oil a week in the engine . What should I do ? -- Sally , New York . Sally , Generally , engines burn oil due to a few reasons : bad valve seals , worn valve guides , pressurized crankcase -LRB- oil pan -RRB- due to a clogged PCV valve or breather system , and blow-by from worn piston rings . Bad valve seals : The valves are located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber . Oil is pumped at 40 to 80 PSI -LRB- pounds/square inch -RRB- of pressure into the top of the head , lubricating the valve-train . The valves have seals to stop the flow of oil down into the engine when the valve is open . If the seals fail then oil is allowed to flow down into the combustion chamber and is burned . Worn valve guides : A small cylindrical chamber called a valve guide does just what its name says ... it guides the valves . These guides wear out over time causing eccentricity -LRB- slop -RRB- . The excess gap that forms allows oil to flow down the valve stem into the combustion chamber to be burned . Normally the valve seal stops this flow . However , in this case the gap is too great for the seal to work . AOL Autos : Should you use synthetic motor oil ? Pressurized crankcase due to clogged PCV or breather system : Your car 's engine is a giant air pump , consequently it must breathe . The PCV -LRB- Positive Crankcase Ventilation -RRB- system allows the engine to exhaust the excess pressure buildup -LRB- which is a natural phenomenon of the internal combustion engine -RRB- . Carbon is a by-product of an engine and can build up in the PCV system , clogging the breathing passages . This in turn pressurizes the oil pan and pushes oil up into the fuel delivery system where it is fed into the engine and burned . AOL Autos : Do I need to replace my air filter ? Blow-by from worn piston rings : The pistons in your car 's engine have seals around them in the form of rings . These rings have two functions : -LRB- 1 -RRB- they seal the combustion chamber so that the power developed from the firing of the cylinder is not lost . -LRB- 2 -RRB- They provide vital lubrication to the cylinder walls . When the rings wear out , the pressure from combustion reverses down into the oil pan , pressurizing it , and forcing oil into the valve covers . From there it goes through the breather system , back into the fuel delivery system , and into the engine to be burned . I have to put a quart of oil a week in the engine . Is this a big problem ? It 's hard to say without performing some diagnostics on the engine . A quart of oil a week is excessive . It could be due to a plugged PCV or excessive internal engine wear . Take the car into the shop for engine diagnostics . My guess is that the tech will perform a compression test along with a cylinder leak down test after he/she determines if the PCV system is open . During these tests the tech tries to determine if there is loss of engine compression , blow-by , or excessive oil consumption due to ring wear . If excessive ring wear is discovered then further engine teardown will be necessary to determine if the engine needs to be rebuilt or replaced . AOL Autos : How often should you change your oil . What is the difference between blue and white smoke ? The engine can emit different colors of smoke : . Blue smoke : Blue typically means that engine oil is being burned in the combustion chamber . In rare cases , when a vehicle is equipped with a transmission that uses a device called a vacuum modulator valve -LRB- to soften shifts between gears according to engine vacuum -RRB- the diaphragm can break inside the valve and cause transmission fluid to be sucked into the engine via the vacuum line feeding the valve and burn . AOL Autos : Fluid leaks : unsafe and expensive . White smoke : White can mean one of two things . -LRB- 1 -RRB- Water condensation from a blown and leaking head gasket : This gasket is the seal between the cylinder head and engine block . Water runs through channels called water jackets that line the cylinder walls and thus carry away heat . When the head gasket blows , the seal between the cylinder head and engine block breaks and water is allowed to enter the combustion chamber . This water is emitted from the engine in the form of water vapor or steam and it is white in color . -LRB- 2 -RRB- Excessive gas : Fuel delivery systems sometimes falter and dump excessive amounts of raw fuel into the intake plenum . When this happens , the amount of fuel is too much for the engine to process . Hence , it exits the engine and tailpipe in the form of pure white fuel vapor . It stinks like raw gas and can be dangerous if it ignites in the hot muffler and catalytic converter . I have witnessed exhaust systems literally blown off the vehicle from the explosion that ensued from ignition of a gas-filled catalytic converter . This condition must be fixed immediately to prevent internal engine damage or worse yet , a serious fire . Can I add oil or coolant and keep driving the vehicle until I can afford to fix it ? Yes . However , be advised that such maladies never get better by themselves ; and they always get worse with time . There is a real possibility that you will get caught on the road driving at highway speeds -LRB- thinking you added enough oil , transmission fluid or engine coolant -RRB- and the oil runs out , causing a catastrophic failure . In general , when it comes to a need for auto repair , conditions never improve on their own . You must maintain your vehicle if you want to get the maximum life out of it and , in the long run , spend the least amount of money . AOL Autos : How to avoid common car problems . | An oil-thirsty engine and smoke coming from car 's tailpipe are signs of trouble . Bad valve seals or worn guides , clogged PCV valve , worn piston rings among causes . White smoke : Water condensation from blown head gasket , too much gas . Blue smoke : Engine oil is being burned in the combustion chamber . | [[156, 239], [4802, 4873], [357, 384], [435, 517], [455, 542], [582, 597], [600, 603], [1117, 1188], [2854, 2922], [2873, 2886], [3271, 3324], [4338, 4364], [4367, 4480], [1254, 1296], [3581, 3661]] |
KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Marine was killed in action and several others wounded Thursday in a major U.S.-led offensive in southern Afghanistan , the Marines said . U.S. Marines prepare for Operation Khanjar at Forward Operating Base Dwyer , Afghanistan , on Thursday . The push , called Operation Khanjar , is targeting militants in Helmand province , a Taliban stronghold and poppy-growing region . The forces are attempting to gain and hold ground in the perilous region ahead of national elections in August . Almost 4,000 Marines and sailors , along with several hundred Afghan security forces and British troops , worked to clear Taliban militants from population centers in the Helmand River valley . They have been operating in the districts of Nawa and Garmsir in central Helmand province and `` as far south as the vicinity of Khan Neshin , the capital of Rig district in the region of the Helmand River valley known as ` The Fishhook . ' '' The Marines stressed the mission `` is to provide security for population centers '' and `` connect local citizens with their legitimate government while establishing stable and secure conditions for national elections . '' Helmand 's governor , Gulab Mangal , said he believes the operation will work and has assured the populace that it will provide security for them . His spokesman also confirmed that resistance had been minimal . The Marines said about 80 percent of the American troops are in direct combat , with the rest working in support . Taliban resistance has been light and sporadic , consisting of intermittent small arms fire , the Marines said on Thursday . The troops have encountered only relatively small groups of militants . `` Indications are the militants break away shortly after they make contact , '' Marine spokesman 1st Lt. Abe Sipe said , referring to what is regarded as the Taliban 's habit of running and hiding after troops confront them . A Taliban spokesman said the group 's fighters had killed 33 soldiers and destroyed several vehicles . CNN could not independently verify the Taliban claims because of safety and access issues . There has been an outcry in Afghanistan over civilian deaths in the Afghan war 's crossfire , with much ire directed toward coalition air operations . But the Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan emphasized in a news release that the Marines have not `` received any confirmed reports of civilian casualties or damage to property . '' They said they have not utilized `` artillery or other indirect fire weapons , and no bombs have been dropped from aircraft . '' The brigade operates under NATO 's International Security Assistance Force . The assault has prompted Pakistani authorities to redeploy troops along the Afghan border to stop Taliban from escaping the push in Helmand . More than 30 U.S. , British and Danish troops have been killed there since January , with the latest being the Marine on Thursday and a pair of British soldiers slain in Helmand on Wednesday . The push is the largest since the Pentagon began moving additional troops into the conflict this year , and it comes after a British-led operation launched last week in the same region , the Marines said . When President Obama announced his strategy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan , he said American soldiers and Marines `` will take the fight to the Taliban in the south and the east , and give us a greater capacity to partner with Afghan security forces and to go after insurgents along the border . '' He also said the bolstered deployment `` will also help provide security '' ahead of August presidential elections in Afghanistan . The Obama administration has moved about 21,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan , the original front in the war launched after the September 11 attacks . It is also the first big move since U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal took over as the allied commander in Afghanistan in mid-June . In Washington , a senior defense official said the size and scope of the new operation are `` very significant . '' `` It 's not common for forces to operate at the brigade level , '' the official said . `` In fact , they often only conduct missions at the platoon level . And they 're going into the most troubled area of Afghanistan . '' The defense official said the operation is a `` tangible indication '' of the new approach that McChrystal -- a former chief of the Pentagon 's special operations command -- is bringing to the nearly eight-year war . `` They 're not just doing an offensive push to get bad guys ; they 're going in to hold the area and stay there , '' the official said . `` This approach is indicative of McChrystal 's philosophy : measuring success by the number of Afghans protected , not bad guys killed . '' During his confirmation hearing in June , McChrystal told senators that the conflict requires a new focus on counterinsurgency to reduce violence and build support for the U.S.-led NATO alliance among Afghans . `` Although I expect stiff fighting ahead , the measure of success will not be enemy killed . It will be shielding the Afghan population from violence , '' he said . The Islamic fundamentalist Taliban ruled most of Afghanistan before its allies in al Qaeda attacked New York and Washington on September 11 , 2001 . Though quickly toppled after the attacks , its leaders escaped , and the movement regrouped in the Afghan countryside and across the border in Pakistan . Helmand was once known as the breadbasket of Afghanistan , but the fertile land is now used for growing poppies . Afghanistan produces more than 90 percent of the world 's opium , with most of that coming from the poppies in Helmand . The drug trade is an import source of income for the Taliban and major supply routes run through the province . CNN 's Atia Abawi in Afghanistan , Nic Robertson in Pakistan and Chris Lawrence and Barbara Starr at the Pentagon contributed to this report . | One Marine killed , others wounded ; Taliban says 33 soldiers killed . 4,000 American troops , hundreds of Afghans involved in Operation Khanjar . It focuses on Helmand River valley , hotbed of Taliban violence . Operation 's size and scope are `` very significant , '' official says . | [[8, 35], [39, 87], [73, 158], [1942, 2044], [1962, 2011], [2914, 2953], [285, 320], [323, 406], [3933, 3946], [3949, 4019], [3980, 4045], [4114, 4136], [4605, 4627]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- William Safire , a onetime speechwriter for President Nixon who became a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The New York Times , has died at age 79 , the newspaper announced Sunday . William Safire died in Maryland following a battle with pancreatic cancer , The New York Times reported . Safire joined the Times as a columnist in 1973 . In addition to his conservative news columns , which he wrote until 2005 , he wrote a language column for the paper 's Sunday magazine from 1979 until shortly before his death . He won the Pulitzer Prize for commentary in 1978 . In 2006 , President George W. Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom , the highest U.S. civilian honor . Safire had suffered from pancreatic cancer and died Sunday at a hospice in Rockville , Maryland , the newspaper reported . Born in New York in 1929 , Safire began his career as a reporter for newspapers , television and radio stations after dropping out of Syracuse University . After becoming a public relations executive in the late 1950s , he was credited with putting together the 1959 `` kitchen debate '' between then-Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev at that year 's American National Exhibition in Moscow . Safire was the publicist for a builder at the time . `` What I was publicizing was the typical American house , '' he recounted during a conference at George Washington University in July . `` It was my kitchen . '' The next year , he went to work for Nixon 's first , unsuccessful presidential bid . He rejoined the Nixon team in 1968 , when the Republican eventually won the White House , and became one of the administration 's top speechwriters . Perhaps his best-known line in that job was Vice President Spiro Agnew 's denunciation of journalists as `` nattering nabobs of negativism . '' But Safire left the administration to join that nattering club in 1973 , when he left the Nixon administration to join the Times . His often-pugnacious voice -- he once denounced then-first lady Hillary Clinton as a `` congenital liar '' -- held down the right flank of the Times ' op-ed page for more than three decades . He won his Pulitzer in 1978 for columns on the travails surrounding Bert Lance , who as President Carter 's budget director in 1977 resigned amid allegations of bank fraud . Lance was acquitted by a federal jury in 1980 . And he was an outspoken advocate of the plight of Iraq 's Kurdish population . He sharply criticized U.S. support for Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein in the 1980s , when Hussein used poison gas to put down a Kurdish revolt , and he strongly supported the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 , writing that `` nobody came out of this war more nobly '' than the Kurds . Safire also wrote four novels , several collections of columns and a political dictionary that was first published in 1968 . A new edition came out in 2008 . He is survived by his wife , Helene , two children and one grandchild . | William Safire dies at age 79 , according to New York Times . Safire , a Pulitzer Prize winner , died after pancreatic cancer battle , Times reports . Safire was columnist for the Times , former speechwriter for President Nixon . He coined `` nattering nabobs of negativism '' for a Spiro Agnew speech . | [[0, 15], [142, 168], [280, 309], [204, 277], [280, 309], [705, 747], [310, 358]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Airline passengers who were trapped on tarmacs `` like sardines in a can '' had their opportunity to air their grievances Tuesday at an unofficial Capitol Hill hearing that shared some of the characteristics of those flights . The hearing was sponsored by advocates of the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights . The hearing was overbooked : The room had more participants than seats . The take-off was slightly delayed : The hearings started five minutes late . And , appropriately , it lasted more than three hours , the maximum time passenger advocates say people should be confined on the ground . The hearing was sponsored by advocates of the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights , which would require airlines to give passengers the option of leaving a plane after it has sat on the ground for three hours . The proposal , which lacked adequate support in 2007 and 2008 , has gained steam this year because of several highly publicized incidents , including a nearly six-hour overnight wait involving a regional jet in Rochester , Minnesota . `` We were not offered food . We were not offered water , '' said Link Christin , one of 47 passengers on the Rochester plane . `` The toilet broke at about 3 o'clock in the morning , and it was impossible to sleep . Either Baby One cried , or Baby Two cried , or my foot got stepped on by somebody going to the bathroom . '' `` People have asked me , ` Why did n't you do something ? ' '' he said . `` As a practical matter , you 're a little bit in shock ; you 're in survival mode . You 're being told every hour that you 're going to get off . ... There was always a carrot in front of us that we think is going to get us off the plane . And I suggest to you that that 's why 47 people did not mutiny that evening . '' The star witness for the passenger advocates was Robert Crandall , former chairman and chief executive of American Airlines , who spoke in support of the three-hour limit . `` We can and we should solve the problem of extraordinarily long tarmac delay by imposing reasonable obligations on the airlines and other agencies that make up our aviation system , '' Crandall said . But he added that he favors a looser four-hour limit until 2011 to give the industry time to adjust operating procedures . Crandall said the industry 's resistance to the rule is rooted in its `` preoccupation with safety . '' The industry resists any change `` that is not fully understood and has not been thought through in every detail , '' he said . He said he believes that the rule can be made without affecting safety . While saying that lengthy tarmac delays can have significant impacts on individuals , he said the problem is statistically small . In the first seven months of this year , only 776 of 3.8 million flights -- or 0.02 percent -- experienced tarmac delays of more than three hours , he said . Sen. Barbara Boxer , sponsor of the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights , called her bill `` extremely modest , '' saying many passenger advocates want even tighter time limits . The rule would give pilots discretion to keep passengers on board longer than three hours for safety reasons , such as lightning storms , or if the pilot believed that the plane would take off shortly . But two hearing participants testified that a three-hour rule could worsen the situation , increasing the number of canceled flights . `` I do n't believe the three-hour rule will actually change things very much at all , given the small number of affected flights , '' said Amy Cohn , an associate professor at the University of Michigan . `` And when it does change things , I think some passengers may be helped , and others may be harmed . '' If one passenger insists on being released , Cohn said , the plane would return to the terminal , possibly delaying departure for everyone else on the plane . Cohn said the focus on extremely lengthy delays is also diverting attention from the more pressing problem of routine delays . If Congress fixed routine delays , it would help alleviate lengthy delays , she said . Tuesday 's hearing was sponsored by FlyersRights.org and the Business Travel Coalition . And though it was held in a House of Representatives office building , it was not an official House hearing . Writers and editors for travel industry publications took the place of members of Congress in questioning the witnesses . Organizers said the top airline industry organization declined to participate . | Unofficial Capitol Hill hearing addressed concerns over long tarmac delays . Bill sponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer would allow fliers to deplane after three hours . Former American Airlines CEO spoke in support of three-hour limit . Another witness said routine delays are more pressing issue . | [[0, 26], [106, 197], [163, 202], [163, 197], [203, 256], [770, 834], [1899, 1916], [1923, 1965], [3871, 3997], [3881, 3997]] |
MADRID , Spain -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An underemployed Spanish matador is breaking tradition and carrying advertising on his capes in the bullring -- promoting a soft drink aimed at gays . Matador Joselito Ortega in an exhibition fight on Sept. 23 in the southern Spanish city of Malaga . While fighting bulls , matador Joselito Ortega will use capes embroidered with the words `` Gay Up , '' the name of the energy drink . The move has many in the macho-steeped world of bullfighting seeing red . But Ortega , 29 , told CNN , `` I 'm glad to be the first person -LRB- in bullfighting -RRB- whom the gay community will take as an icon . '' `` People think the bullfighter is very tough , very rude and they only like women , '' Ortega added . `` But we are in 2009 . Everything must change . '' Industry experts said it would be the first time advertising will appear on bullfighter 's capes -- the large one used when the bull rushes into the ring , and a smaller one used later as the matador moves in for the kill . In the 1980s , matador Luis Reina had a contract showing the brand name of Japanese electronics giant Akai on parts of his shiny `` suit of lights , '' while fighting . `` But that lasted just one or two fights , '' recalls Curro Vazquez , a former bullfighter who now manages one of Spain 's top-tier matadors , Cayetano Rivero Ordonez . Rivero Ordonez has declined offers to carry publicity on his bullfighter 's suit and capes while in the ring , Vazquez said , out of respect for `` the ritual of bullfighting . '' `` The cape is a sacred thing , '' said Vazquez , adding that it 's fine for premier bullfighters -- who are treated like rock stars -- to have lucrative endorsement deals for products , but only outside of the ring . This is the first endorsement deal of any kind for Ortega . He became a full matador in 2006 , facing the biggest bulls , but said he 's fought only six or seven fights since then . Yet a bullfighter in demand can have dozens of fights in just a single season . `` Ortega is a new bullfighter and he might see this as a way to get known , '' Vazquez said . If so , it appears to be working . Ortega and his drinks company have been flooded with media queries since they made the announcement this week . Pedro Suarez , the CEO at Grupo Banus Pi , the firm that makes Gay Up and took over management of Ortega 's career just two weeks ago , said they plan to organize an exhibition fight for Ortega soon , and sell the TV rights exclusively . Gay Up is a non-alcoholic energy drink made in Spain , drawn from a formula originally from Colombia . Suarez said the company tried to sponsor a Spanish football -LRB- soccer -RRB- team but was turned down because of the Gay Up brand . Then they found Ortega , who says he 's not gay . He 's been gored six or seven times in his career , which started 13 years ago as a junior bullfighter . `` All sports teams have advertising on their uniforms , '' Ortega said , insisting he 'd continue to fight bulls the same way , even with ads on his capes . Bull breeder Juan Pedro Domecq Morenes welcomed the change , saying it might help revive Spain 's billion-dollar bullfighting industry , which he said in recent years has seen a 45 percent decline in the number of fights , especially in smaller village bullrings . `` Only God is sacred , '' said Domecq , who also publishes a bullfighting Web site . `` The rest of the traditions have to advance , modernize . '' | Matador Joselito Ortega will use capes embroidered with the words `` Gay Up '' `` Gay Up '' is the name of a non-alcoholic energy drink in Spain . Industry experts : First time advertising will appear on bullfighter 's capes . Ortega , who says he 's not gay , has been gored six or seven times . | [[285, 305], [308, 358], [341, 373], [2494, 2569], [0, 6], [9, 142], [791, 887], [2731, 2780], [2747, 2753], [2760, 2780], [2781, 2830]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An American convicted of being an al Qaeda operative was resentenced to life in prison Monday in a Virginia courtroom after an appeals court ruled his 30-year prison sentence was too lenient . Ahmed Omar Abu Ali , seated far left , appears in an artist 's rendering of a March 2005 court hearing . Ahmed Omar Abu Ali , a native of Falls Church , Virginia , was convicted in November 2005 of conspiring with al Qaeda and involvement in a possible plot to assassinate then-President George W. Bush . A federal appeals court , however , ruled the lower court did not sentence Abu Ali harshly enough and that its deviance from federal sentencing guidelines was unjustified . `` The defendant sought to destabilize our government and to shake it to its core , '' according to the 2008 ruling . `` To this day , he wishes he had succeeded . ... It is not too much to ask that a sentencing proceeding not lose sight of the immensity and scale of wanton harm that was and remains Abu Ali 's plain and clear intention . '' Abu Ali was resentenced to life in prison , federal prosecutors told CNN on Monday . In June 2003 , Saudi Arabian authorities detained Abu Ali in Medina , where he was participating in religious studies . During his 20-month detention in Saudi Arabia , he confessed to being a member of al Qaeda and to discussing the execution of a number of terrorist plots , including one to assassinate Bush . Prosecutors offered no evidence that those discussions morphed into a specific plan . However , they maintained that Abu Ali discussed boarding a U.S.-bound plane from Australia or England and flying it into targets on the U.S. East Coast . Abu Ali 's attorneys argued that his confessions were false and obtained through torture in Saudi Arabia before he was transported to the United States in February 2005 . At his 2006 sentencing , Abu Ali faced a sentence of 20 years to life , and prosecutors maintained that `` only a life sentence will protect the citizens of the United States from the defendant attacking again . '' But U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee rejected that claim , saying there was no evidence Abu Ali took any steps within the United States to further the conspiracies . In sentencing Abu Ali , Lee quoted extensively from letters he received from his friends , family and others endorsing Abu Ali 's character . But the appeals court said it was unmoved . `` What person of ` good character ' aims to destroy thousands of fellow human beings beings who are innocent of any transgressions against him ? This is not good character as we understand it , and to allow letters of this sort to provide the basis for such a substantial variance would be to deprive ` good character ' of all its content . '' Abu Ali 's 30-year sentence was to be followed by 30 years of supervised release . CNN 's Justine Redman contributed to this report . | An American convicted of being an al Qaeda operative gets life sentence . Ahmed Omar Abu Ali convicted in 2005 in possible plot against President Bush . Federal appeals court ruled man 's original 30-year prison sentence was too lenient . Defense argued confessions were false , obtained through torture in Saudi Arabia . | [[19, 71], [1033, 1074], [317, 335], [365, 469], [454, 516], [166, 211], [143, 193], [517, 540], [553, 671], [1671, 1841], [1704, 1719], [1735, 1841]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Investigators think that a reality TV contestant wanted for questioning in the death of his ex-wife has gone to Canada , police in Washington state told CNN Thursday . Police want to question Ryan Jenkins about the death of his ex-wife , model Jasmine Fiore . Ryan Alexander Jenkins , who appeared on two VH1 reality TV shows , matched the description of a man seen driving a boat in Blaine Marina off the coast of northwest Washington on Wednesday , the Whatcom County Sheriff 's Office said . Blaine , Washington , is very near the Canadian border . Authorities searched the area and found Jenkins ' black SUV with an empty boat trailer at the Blaine Marina , police said . The nude body of Jasmine Fiore , 28 , a former swimsuit model , was found Saturday stuffed into a suitcase in California . Fiore lived in Los Angeles and was last seen alive Friday in San Diego at a poker game with her ex-husband , Jenkins . Police have wanted to question Jenkins about Fiore 's death . `` We believe that perhaps he might have information that would be beneficial to the investigation , '' Lt. Gary Worrall of the Buena Park Police Department said Wednesday on HLN 's `` Nancy Grace . '' Jenkins reported Fiore missing Saturday night to the Los Angeles County Sheriff 's Department , authorities said . Earlier that day , a body was found in a large suitcase inside a trash bin behind an apartment complex in Buena Park , just outside Anaheim in Orange County . Watch man describe finding body '' The body was identified as Fiore on Monday . While the cause of death has not been confirmed , a preliminary coroner 's report indicates she was strangled . Jenkins , who appeared on VH1 shows , `` Megan Wants a Millionaire '' and `` I Love Money 3 , '' may have headed back to his native Calgary , Alberta , police said . The U.S. Marshals Service and Canadian authorities have joined the search for Jenkins , according to the Whatcom County police . Jenkins and Fiore reportedly were married for a few weeks before getting the union annulled . `` Given the fact that he has some celebrity status , we 're quite certain that he has been made aware of the media frenzy regarding this case , '' Worrall said . `` And we have made some attempts to get in touch with him . '' In a statement , VH1 said it has postponed any future airings of `` Megan Wants a Millionaire '' because of the `` tragic situation '' and said `` our thoughts go out to the victim 's family . '' Davida Sullivan , who trained with Fiore in Las Vegas to be a Playboy Bunny called her a bit reserved , careful with her words , and a `` very , very sweet girl . '' `` Nancy Grace '' producer Philip Rosenbaum contributed to this report . | NEW : Man resembling Jenkins seen on boat near Canadian border , police say . Police want to question Ryan Jenkins in connection with ex-wife 's death . Jenkins reported model Jasmine Fiore , 28 , missing on August 15 . Earlier that day , Fiore 's nude body was found stuffed into a suitcase . | [[304, 326], [372, 404], [212, 279], [962, 1023], [1226, 1271], [720, 755], [776, 842], [1341, 1357], [1360, 1457]] |
NASHVILLE , Tennessee -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The accused came from all walks of life : Retirees , dads and twentysomethings . An engineer , a business owner and an auto worker . A man in a wheelchair . Men in need of Spanish or Farsi translators . Brett Beasley , with Nashville 's Health Department , educates men arrested for trying to buy sex about STDs . About 40 men somberly entered a classroom on a recent Saturday morning . About half of them wore shiny wedding bands . All had tried to buy a prostitute 's services and were caught by police . It was their first offense , and a county court referred them to a one-day program called the John School . It 's a program run by volunteers and city officials in conjunction with Magdalene House , a nonprofit that works to get prostitutes off the streets . `` Prostitution does n't discriminate , '' said Kenny Baker , a cognitive behavioral therapist who is the program 's director . `` Most of these men do n't have a prior criminal history , so our goal is to help these folks understand why they put themselves in a bad position , to prevent it from happening again . '' Set in a church in Nashville , Tennessee , the John School is led by former prostitutes , health experts , psychologists and law enforcement officers who talk to -- and at times berate -- the men about the risks of hiring a prostitute . Prostitution is based on the law of supply and demand . The thinking is : Women wo n't stop selling sex until men stop buying . So Nashville and a growing number of cities are shifting their focus from locking up suppliers to educating buyers . Across the country , about 50 communities are using John Schools . Atlanta , Georgia , and Baltimore , Maryland , are among dozens more cities that plan to launch similar programs by the end of the year . See where the John Schools are '' `` It will make them -LSB- offenders -RSB- see that this is not a victimless crime , and they are contributing to the exploitation of women , '' said Stephanie Davis , policy adviser on women 's issues at the mayor 's office in Atlanta . `` It 's hurting them , the man , and it 's hurting their families and its hurting the community . '' No comprehensive effort has been made to track the numbers , but experts estimate 1 million to 2 million prostitutes work in the United States . The FBI 's 2007 Uniform Crime Report lists about 78,000 arrests for prostitution and commercialized vice , but experts say those numbers are extremely conservative because many sex workers and johns are n't caught . Experts add that easy accessibility to prostitutes and pornography on the Internet are feeding the problem . In most communities , prostitution has been a one-sided battle focused on the women who offer sex . Their customers , when they are arrested , are usually cited for a misdemeanor and fined . By comparison , prostitutes are often charged with more severe sentences and jailed for months , depending on the offense . But in Nashville , the johns ' faces are shown on a police Web site . For decades , Nashville battled prostitution by arresting women on the streets and through stings . Still , the problem persisted , irritating business owners and residents . In the early 1990s , Nashville 's mayor helped launch the John School with the help of the Magdalene House , public defenders , prosecutors and police officers . Nashville became one of the first major cities in the U.S. to focus on the customers , predominantly men . Only first-time offenders who solicit an adult are eligible for John School . Johns who pick up minors are not eligible and face much tougher sentences . `` If you get caught again and you get me , I will guarantee to put you in jail , '' warned Antoinette Welch , a local prosecutor , in speaking to the men in the class . `` I 've had men cry to me that they will lose their jobs or their wives , but you 're all grown up and you make your own decisions . '' The men listened carefully as Welch talked about their records ; many had not yet told their wives or significant others about their arrest . If the john pleads guilty , pays a $ 250 fee and completes the course without re-offending , the charge can be dismissed after a year . The money paid by the john goes to Magdalene House ; the program does n't cost taxpayers any money . John School models in other communities may differ . A woman who called herself Alexis , a 35-year-old former prostitute with dark hair and bright blue eyes , spoke to the men as the class came to an end . Four years ago , she left the streets and now works at a factory . By the age of 10 , Alexis had learned to barter with sex with her stepfather . In her 20s , she found herself hooked on drugs and selling her body . She was arrested more than 80 times . She was hospitalized after someone shot her on the job . As she told her story , the men were silent . A few blushed , while others stared at the floor . `` These gentlemen are no different than I was on the streets , '' she said . `` I think everyone has to look at the void they are trying to fill . '' One john , a father of two with salt-and-pepper hair , found himself near tears after Alexis spoke . In July , he tried to pick up a prostitute through Craigslist . He said he was depressed and having problems with his wife . `` I 'm so embarrassed , '' he said . `` These girls are somebody 's daughters . I have a daughter . '' Some evidence suggests that John Schools are working . A study released in 2008 by Abt Associates Inc. for the federal government looked at the John School program in San Francisco , California . It 's one of the largest programs in the country ; more than 7,000 johns have attended since 1995 . According to the study , the re-arrest rate fell sharply after the school was launched , and stayed more than 30 percent lower for 10 years afterward . But critics call John School a slap on the wrist . On Saturday , one john abandoned the classroom . Carol Leigh , a member of the Sex Workers Outreach Project , a group that promotes decriminalizing prostitution in California , said she does n't believe the program is an effective deterrent . `` John School does n't do that much , '' said Leigh , who has worked as a prostitute . `` The reality is they are n't spending that much time on the johns and they will just go to other venues . This also does n't target the violent offenders who are the real problem . '' Melissa Farley , head of the nonprofit group Prostitution Research and Education in San Fransisco , believes johns deserve stronger punishment like longer prison sentences . A recent study by the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation conducted among johns in Chicago , Illinois , found that 41 percent of them said John School would deter them from buying sex , compared with 92 percent who said being placed on a sex offender registry would scare them from re-offending . Nashville officials said they have n't tracked recidivism rates in their city , but the school 's program director said it 's probably deterring a third of the offenders in each class . At least one college educated , 47-year-old john 's attitude appeared to change on a recent Saturday . After class he wrote , `` There is no good part . I would rather be with my wife . This was quick but it was n't worth it . '' | Experts say about 1 million to 2 million prostitutes work in the United States . About 50 communities have programs that focus on deterring johns . Nashville 's program includes a speech from a former prostitute . The Internet is making it easier for people to buy prostitutes , experts say . | [[2251, 2302], [2283, 2330]] |
ON THE ATLANTIC OCEAN -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Up on the Lido Deck there is a rockin ' band playing another love song . Rush of Fools gets the crowd going during an afternoon concert on the Lido Deck . Hundreds of people , many clad in bikinis or swim trunks , maneuver deck chairs , trying to maximize their worship time in the sun . Servers mill around the deck , trying to interest potential patrons in fruity concoctions . Other cruisers peer back at the band as they stand in the buffet line for an afternoon snack . The band stops , thanks the crowd for joining them on the ship and talks about why they are here . They are here to praise God . This is the K-Love Friends and Family Cruise , a four-day Christian music retreat filled with concerts from all types of bands that share one message . `` You look out at that ocean and you realize you are looking at a very small chunk of the big picture , '' says David Carr , drummer for the contemporary Christian band Third Day . `` It reminds me of how small we are and how big and expansive God is , yet He still loves us . '' More than 3,000 fans are on board the Destiny for this floating meet-and-greet bound for Grand Turk . Premier Christian Cruises has chartered the whole ship and has filled each day with concerts , shows and speakers . It 's the sixth time Premier has put on this event . The Destiny , owned by Carnival Cruise Lines , is the largest ship the group has ever chartered , says Gary Gentry , one of three owners of Premier . It 's one of three full-ship and one partial charter the company puts on each year . The Friends and Family Cruise features 15 bands as well as comedians , an illusionist and speakers . You can see an author in the morning , a rock band in the afternoon , a singer-songwriter in the evening and a big band late at night . `` To me , life is about making moments , '' Gentry says . `` I think that 's what we have been able to do on the cruise , help people create moments of significance in their lives . '' He compared putting all the bands together on a ship with some of their most loyal fans to the amateur chemistry sets kids love to play with to surprising results . `` You do n't know what 's gon na happen , but you know it 's going to be kinda cool . '' Music cruises have been around for decades but charters are a growing trend in the cruise industry . Each year more companies are renting entire ships not only for Christian artists but for all genres of music . There are events for jazz fans , rock fans , even polka fans . Andy Levine runs Sixthman , a music cruise organizer that connects fans with artists such as John Mayer , Sister Hazel and Emmylous Harris . He says his company is thinking about expanding from five rock music-themed cruises to seven this year and eventually nine . Levine used to work in the music industry and said there are so many walls now between performers and fans that there 's almost no real interaction between them any more . `` Going on a cruise with your favorite artists is one of the coolest ways to make a real pure connection , '' Levine says by phone , before boarding a ship full of Barenaked Ladies fans . The biggest challenge for charter companies is to convey to fans the premium costs that come with a music-themed cruise compared to a standard voyage . -LRB- Rooms on the K-Love cruise for 2010 run between $ 599 and $ 6,600 and it is already 80 percent sold out . -RRB- . `` If they were to go to a music festival instead they would have to pay a small fortune , more than they would on a music cruise , '' says Linda Coffman , who operates the Web site cruisediva.com and has sailed on more than 100 cruises . `` There are hotel costs , food costs and ticket costs , so when you consider all the things included on the ship , music cruises are a good deal . '' She adds that one thing you ca n't put a value on is included in the cruise . Many of the artists will stop and chat with the fans out on deck or in the hallways . Or if a fan sees their favorite singer walking around the pool , it 's often OK to ask for a quick picture . -LRB- Most cruises do set up autograph sessions and tell fans that is the best time for such requests -RRB- . It 's not only cool for the fans , who might find themselves standing in a buffet line right next to the bass player in their favorite band , it 's also cool for the artists , who get to see up close what they mean to people . A woman approached bassist Tai Anderson on the K-Love cruise to tell him how much Third Day meant to her during what had been a painful divorce . She told him how every morning she went for a run , and played their music while she tried to jog away her sorrow . `` Christian music can be an easy target for people to make fun of , '' Anderson says . '' -LSB- Critics say -RSB- it 's derivative or not its own style but at the same time when I see people have connections like that , it encourages me because it 's a pretty incredible thing . '' Fans sometimes also get to see reunions of bands that have n't played together in years . No one had to ask Kirk Sullivan twice to come on what was his 15th Christian music-themed cruise . Sullivan has been a solo artist for the past two and half years , since the group he sang with for 15 years , 4Him , disbanded . But the folks from Premier called him up and said they wanted the group to do one more show . Sullivan , who has an album due out this spring , loved the chance to see some old friends . `` I think what I miss is seeing them on a regular basis , '' Sullivan says . `` There 's not anybody else I 'd rather stand on stage with . '' As he talks , a woman stops by the table to say hello . She tells him how much she enjoyed the show . He promises to come by and chat with her later . He explains that she and her husband attended a lot of 4Him shows and he 's seen her on past cruises . The cruises also give the performers a chance to see other artists for more than just a passing moment , he said . Most musicians rarely get to hang out because of their schedules but on the cruise , band members get a chance to catch concerts themselves and share dinner conversations with artists who are , as one performer said , in the same boat , so to speak . Fans get a similar experience , says Stacy Conville , a doctor from Louisiana . `` It 's refreshing to get away from the world and all that 's going on , '' she says . `` And to do it with other believers is encouraging . '' | K-Love Friends and Family Cruise is a Christian music retreat . More companies are renting ships for cruises featuring all genres of music . Music cruises allow fans to connect with artists in a friendly setting . | [[692, 771], [2363, 2473], [2975, 3049]] |
Editor 's note : Harry Shearer is an actor , author , director , satirist , musician , radio host , playwright , fine artist and record label owner who is the voice of a variety of regular characters on `` The Simpsons , '' most notably Mr. Burns , Smithers and insufferable neighbor Ned Flanders . Harry Shearer says the White House is n't getting actively involved in protecting New Orleans from flooding . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I spent much of this month in my adopted hometown of New Orleans , Louisiana . Uncharacteristically for August , the streets and restaurants and galleries and music clubs were largely full and throbbing with energy . There are hubs of entrepreneurs all over town trying to invent the future . And thankfully , Mayor Ray Nagin 's term is only months away from its end . Between my weeks in the Crescent City , I joined some local folks in traipsing up to the Aspen Institute to share the news of New Orleans with interested outsiders . One talked about the progress in rebuilding homes . Another discussed the reform of the public-school system , the decoupling of the schools from a centralized board , resulting in the city becoming the leader in charter-school enrollment . A third talked about the move to neighborhood medical clinics , an effort to replace the hospital beds missing in the flooding 's wake . A fourth reported the good economic statistics , marred only by the continuing shortage in affordable rental housing -LRB- 80,000 units were whacked by the flood -RRB- . And a fifth discussed the citizen activism that is helping , along with a determined U.S. attorney -LRB- who 's just sent Rep. William Jefferson and his brother Mose to jail -RRB- , to clean up local politics . After all , it was New Jersey pols , not New Orleans ones , who got snagged in a scheme involving black-market kidneys . Wish we 'd thought of that . All good news . And all transpiring under a shadow , one made all too evident early last week when the city experienced a collective shudder as the spinning cyclonic shape of Hurricane Bill appeared on TV screens . New Orleans , hit so hard by what so many -LRB- including President Obama in his Sunday interview with the local newspaper -RRB- still see fit to describe , mistakenly , as a natural disaster , is making remarkable progress , while the agency that so disastrously failed at building a protective system mandated by Congress -- the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers -- may be making some of the same mistakes in rebuilding that system . And the White House , for the second consecutive administration , seems not to care . Me ? I 'm a humorist , a comic actor , a sometime musician-filmmaker-novelist-blogger . What the hell do I know about what happened to the city I love ? Since the levees collapsed , I 've been reading the local newspaper , the Times-Picayune , watching and listening to the local media , which , post-disaster , have rediscovered their mission to make local news more than a recitation of the previous day 's murders , car crashes and celebrity misbehaviors . While the national media packed up and moved away after the initial orgasm of anger at FEMA , the local media reported something remarkable : The Corps was claiming that the flooding was due to the `` overtopping '' of its levees and floodwalls , while two teams of pro-bono forensic investigators were finding evidence that no overtopping had occurred . As the Corps started denigrating these investigators , they kept digging , and kept coming up with the real story , available now for all to see -LRB- though all too few have -RRB- as the ILIT report from the University of California at Berkeley and the Team Louisiana report from Louisiana State University . Their conclusions : The `` hurricane protection system '' built by the Corps had serious design and construction flaws , baked into the system over 40 years under administrations of both parties , that caused catastrophic failure in more than 50 locations under storm surge conditions markedly less than the system was advertised to withstand . You and I , federal taxpayers , had paid to flood New Orleans . Since the Obama administration took office , the Corps has : announced that one part of the new `` system '' will be built using a `` technically not superior '' solution , because of funding problems ; and , defying a Congressional mandate , delivered a report supposed to offer a post-2011 plan for so-called Category 5 storm protection 20 months late and lacking a specific plan , offering only a menu of possible options . It 's almost as if the Corps is inviting someone else to do the job . Someone else can . A New Orleans architect , David Waggonner , has been convening a group of local architects and planners and engineers and their Dutch colleagues to mine the eight centuries of collective wisdom of the Netherlands about the challenge of living with water . The resulting plans , published as the `` Dutch dialogues , '' make for inspiring and depressing reading ; inspiring because they offer a vision of a city that has stopped fighting a war against water and has learned to use water both to enhance value and to enhance safety , depressing because there is so clearly no federal impetus , from the president on down , to embrace such a new approach . President Obama , who has mainly limited his comments about New Orleans to feel-good boilerplate , did pledge to make good on President Bush 's promise on that eerie , floodlit night in a deserted Jackson Square in 2005 , to rebuild New Orleans better and stronger . But he has yet to actively intervene to make sure New Orleans gets state-of-the-art flood protection and robust and timely coastal wetland reconstruction . Like President Bush , President Obama so far seems to be acting as if just saying it makes it so . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Harry Shearer . | Harry Shearer : There is much good news in New Orleans , but still problems . He notes report that Corps of Engineers levee design and construction led to breach . Shearer says there may be flaws with the Army Corps ' levee rebuilding . He says Obama is ignoring problem , as Bush did previously . | [[3729, 3746], [3806, 3847], [299, 408]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- English football star Steven Gerrard has admitted punching a man in a bar , but the Liverpool captain insisted in his court testimony that it was in self-defense . England international Steven Gerrard is in court defending his actions after a bar brawl late last year . The 29-year-old is facing a charge of affray after an incident in the early hours of December 29 , when he attacked businessman Marcus McGee following a dispute about the music that was being played . If found guilty , Gerrard faces a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a fine of $ 7,200 . Gerrard , who denies the charge , told a judge on Thursday that he was sorry about his actions in Southport 's Lounge Inn , but at the time he thought McGee was going to attack him . They had been involved in an argument after Gerrard tried to change the music on the bar 's sound system , but McGee would not let him , the UK Press Association reported . `` I thought he was going to hit me , '' Gerrard said . `` He was on his way forward to me and his behavior had changed from when I was having a discussion with him . I did n't know why . '' Gerrard said he was unaware that his friend John Doran had already punched McGee when he himself started to hit the 34-year-old . `` I am certainly mistaken in thinking he was coming towards me to throw punches at me , '' the midfielder said . `` Now I know , obviously , he had been struck , reacted and thought the strike was by me and he came into me and that 's when I reacted . I am sorry about the whole incident . `` I grabbed the back of his jumper as he moved forward to me . When I had hold of Marcus , I remember swinging my right hand two or three times . `` I was trying to stop still and I felt I had arms all over me . I could see a melee around Marcus McGee . When I was getting pulled away I realized people were patting me , some of whom were my friends . `` I wanted to help control the situation . I was worried the fight I had with Marcus was going to get worse because people were going past me in that direction . '' Gerrard said that his friends had earlier told him to `` forget '' the argument , but he felt he needed to confront McGee . `` I could n't understand why the guy had such a problem with me , why he was so aggressive , '' he said . `` I was also concerned that if I did leave it I would not have been able to enjoy my night , he may have come over to me . `` I wanted to see why he had such a problem with it , why a total stranger had such a problem with me putting my favorite songs on . I asked why I could n't have an input in the music and tried to explain that I had permission from the manageress . '' `` I asked Marcus what was the problem with the music machine and why he treated me like that . Very quickly he came off the bar stool and was in my face right by me . '' Gerrard had been celebrating after scoring two goals as Liverpool thrashed Newcastle 5-1 to remain top of the Premier League , and admitted that he had been drinking alcohol . `` I certainly knew I had had a drink . I was certainly in control of how I felt in my surroundings , '' he said . The father of two said he had not been in trouble with the police since the age of 19 , when he was banned from driving for nine months for drink-driving . | English football star Steven Gerrard has admitted punching a man in a bar . But the Liverpool captain says in court testimony that it was in self-defense . Gerrard , 29 , denies charge of affray for attacking businessman Marcus McGee . If found guilty , he faces maximum penalty of six months in jail and $ 7,200 fine . | [[0, 15], [41, 92], [99, 182], [289, 385], [393, 465], [586, 593], [600, 617], [508, 585]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michigan 's Supreme Court issued an order Tuesday allowing lower state courts to `` exercise reasonable control '' over the appearance of witnesses and parties , a rule change proposed after a Muslim woman refused to remove an Islamic garment in a small claims court . A niqab is a garment that covers the entire face and head , except for the eyes . The order allows courts `` reasonable control over the appearance of parties and witnesses '' so as to `` ensure that the demeanor of such persons may be observed and assessed by the fact-finder and ensure the accurate identification of such person . '' The order , which amends a rule of the Michigan Rules of Evidence , is effective September 1 . The amendment was prompted by a 2006 small claims case in Michigan filed by Ginnah Muhammad , who wore a niqab -- a garment that covers the entire face and head , except for the eyes -- to court , the order said . According to the Detroit Free Press , Muhammad was contesting a $ 2,750 repair bill from a car rental company because she said thieves broke into the vehicle she was using . As she prepared to testify , Judge Paul Paruk asked her to remove her niqab , saying he needed to be able to see her face to tell whether she was telling the truth , according to court documents . `` I ca n't see certain things about your demeanor and temperament that I need to see in a court of law , '' Paruk said at the time . Muhammad refused , saying that she was a practicing Muslim and would take off the veil only in front of a female judge . Paruk said a female judge was not available and told Muhammad she could remove the niqab or have her case dismissed -- she chose the latter , according to court documents . She sued the judge in federal district court , which declined to exercise jurisdiction over the case . Muhammad has since appealed to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals . The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a statement saying that if the amended rule was interpreted broadly , it could `` not only adversely affect Muslim females who wear the head scarf , but could also be used to violate Jewish , Sikh , and other people of faiths ' constitutional rights under the First Amendment while in Michigan courts . '' It added , `` As a civil rights advocacy group , CAIR-MI is concerned about individuals who may be reluctant to report crimes or petition the courts out of fear that their religious rights may be violated . '' Other religious groups , as well as the American Civil Liberties Union and domestic violence groups , had opposed the rule change , the Detroit Free Press reported . The ACLU had asked that the court add a sentence to the rule saying `` that no person shall be precluded from testifying on the basis of clothing worn because of a sincerely held belief , '' the newspaper reported in May . CAIR also said that it would announce on Wednesday the filing of a federal lawsuit against a Wayne County , Michigan , judge who had asked a Muslim woman to remove her head scarf in court . `` The Muslim plaintiff felt so intimidated by the judge 's repeated demand that she eventually removed her head scarf , '' the organization said in a statement released Tuesday . CAIR-MI is a co-plaintiff in the lawsuit being filed on behalf of the Michigan woman , who is a member of the group . Last month , the Judicial Council of Georgia adopted a policy allowing religious head coverings in the state 's courtrooms , the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported . | Courts allowed `` exercise reasonable control '' over appearance of witnesses . Change prompted by case in which judge demanded woman remove face-covering . Rule says `` demeanor '' must be observable , `` accurate identification '' ensured . Council on American-Islamic Relations , ACLU oppose the change . | [[0, 15], [19, 178], [370, 475], [1107, 1109], [1136, 1182], [2998, 3003], [3008, 3068], [3116, 3125], [3129, 3187], [488, 516], [569, 620], [483, 532]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Supreme Court has agreed to review a civil liberties dispute over the government 's power to criminalize `` support '' of a terrorist organization . The Supreme Court will review a key provision of the 2001 Patriot Act . The justices on Wednesday accepted review of a key provision of the 2001 Patriot Act , and whether it threatens free speech rights of those who would assist non-violent activities of designated groups . Since the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks against the United States , federal prosecutors have pursued `` material support '' cases against at least 120 individuals or organizations , winning convictions in about half of those cases . Nearly every such domestic terrorism-related prosecution has included that charge as part of the indictment . At issue is whether the congressional law allows prosecution of those with knowledge of `` any service , training , expert advice or assistance '' to a foreign terrorist organization , as designated by the U.S. government . A federal appeals court in San Francisco , California , struck down several parts of the legislation , finding them too vague to satisfy the Constitution . The government then asked the high court to intervene and uphold the law . Among those charged under the `` material support '' provision : John Walker Lindh , an American Muslim captured on the battlefield in Afghanistan ; the `` Lackawanna Six , '' men from Buffalo , New York , who attended an al Qaeda training camp ; several men in Portland , Oregon , who allegedly sought to travel to Afghanistan to fight on behalf of the Taliban ; a group of young Virginia individuals who allegedly tried to assist a Kashmir terror group ; and James Ujaama , an African-American activist in Seattle , Washington . The key plaintiff in the current appeal is the Humanitarian Law Project , a Los Angeles , California-based non-profit that says its mission is to advocate `` for the peaceful resolution of armed conflicts and for worldwide compliance with humanitarian law and human rights law . '' HLP sought to help the Kurdistan Workers ' Party , a group active in Turkey . Known as PKK , the party was founded in the mid-1970s and has been labeled a terror organization by the United States and the European Union . Its leaders have previously called for militancy to create a separate Kurdish state in parts of Turkey , Iraq , Syria and Iran , where Kurds comprise a population majority . In its appeal to the high court , the government noted that `` since its inception , the organization has waged a violent insurgency that has claimed over 22,000 lives . '' HLP claimed it wanted to advocate on behalf of the PKK before the United Nations Commission on Human Rights , and conduct other advisory sessions and public awareness campaigns . Another plaintiff is an American physician who wanted to help ethnic Tamils in his native Sri Lanka . Much of the island nation is controlled by the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , which has also fought for decades to carve an independent state . The government claims the Tamil Tigers have `` used suicide bombings and political assassinations in its campaign for independence , killing hundreds of civilians in the process . '' HLP and a group of Tamil doctors say they merely wanted `` to provide their expert medical advice on how to address the shortage of medical facilities and trained physicians '' in the region but `` they are afraid to do so because they fear prosecution for providing material support . '' The Patriot Act was passed six weeks after the 9/11 terrorism attacks . It included amending a previous anti-terror law to strengthen the `` expert advice and assistance '' provision , making it a crime punishable by a 10 - to 15-year prison sentence . The Justice Department calls the material support provision `` a vital part of the nation 's effort to fight international terrorism . '' Officials told the justices the law is constitutional since `` the statute in question regulates conduct , not speech , and does not violate the First Amendment in any of its applications . '' And the government argues lawmakers properly used their authority to address a pressing problem . `` Congress has banned a broad range of material support -- regardless of whether the terrorist group claims to engage in otherwise lawful activities , and regardless of whether the support is ostensibly given to assist those supposedly lawful activities , '' said the administration 's brief . The case is Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project -LRB- 08-1498 -RRB- . Oral arguments will be held early next year , with a decision expected by the spring . | Supreme Court to review a key provision of the 2001 Patriot Act . Federal appeals court had struck down several aspects of Patriot Act . Government had asked the high court to intervene and uphold the law . Oral arguments to be held early next year , with decision expected by spring . | [[0, 10], [30, 140], [183, 254], [255, 339], [1035, 1075], [1091, 1135], [1191, 1265], [1217, 1244], [1191, 1205], [1249, 1265], [2474, 2505], [2508, 2606], [4600, 4643], [4651, 4686]] |
LAGOS , Nigeria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- More than 400 people have been killed in a spate of violence in northern Nigeria , the president of a human rights group said Tuesday . More than 150 alleged militants were arrested by Nigerian police after clashes . The violence has pitted Islamic militants against government police and troops in the north-central part of the nation , officials said . Attacks continued Tuesday in the suburbs of the northern city of Maiduguri , said Shehu Sani , president of the Civil Rights Congress , a human rights organization based in northern Nigeria . People there are seeking refuge in police and military barracks and in hospitals , he said . Police and troops were dispatched to the militants ' hideouts after they began attacks on government establishments Sunday , said police spokesman Moses Anegbode . As authorities exchanged fire with the militants , 41 people , including a soldier and a policeman , were killed , Anegbode said Monday . In addition , some 176 people were arrested in Bauchi , he said . Besides Bauchi , militants also staged attacks on the nearby states of Yobe and Borno on Sunday and Monday , said Emmanuel Ojukwu , spokesman for the national police . Yobe 's police commissioner , Alhaji Muhammed Abbas , said that 23 suspected militants were arrested in connection with a bomb attack at a police station in Potiskum that killed a policeman and a civilian and wounded seven people . The official News Agency of Nigeria reported that as many as 100 members of a religious sect led by Sheikh Mohammed Yusuf may have been killed in a confrontation with police . In Borno , police spokesman Isa Azare said that two policemen were killed in an attack on police headquarters late Monday . `` The religious fanatics took the police unawares , '' Azare told the government-affiliated New Nigerian newspaper . `` That was why they succeeded in killing all the officers on night duty . '' Panicked residents stayed inside in all three states , and businesses shut down , even though officials said the situation was under control . The militants used guns , bows and arrows and machetes in the attacks , officials said . The militants disagree with the government 's teaching of Islam in the region , maintaining that the government allows itself to be influenced by Western values , and have been attacking government offices and Islamic clergy . There is a history of religious violence in central Nigeria , where majority-Muslim north Africa meets largely Christian sub-Saharan Africa . Human Rights Watch estimates that more than 1,000 people were killed in riots in 2001 . The human rights organization alleged last week that police and soldiers killed at least 133 people during two days of riots between Muslims and Christians in Nigeria last year . Most of the victims were young Muslim men , often unarmed , the group charged in testimony before a state commission examining the riots and in a separate report . More than 700 people died in the violence , the organization said , citing local religious authorities on both sides of the divide . CNN 's Christian Purefoy contributed to this report . | As many as 400 people killed in Nigerian violence , group says . Militants disagree with the government 's teaching of Islam . 176 people also arrested , according to police . | [[8, 115], [2171, 2248], [171, 251], [991, 1030]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher could be set to make a shock return to Formula One as Ferrari look for a short-term replacement for the injured Felipe Massa . Michael Schumacher remains very much part of the Ferrari set-up as an advisor for the Formula One team . The 28-year-old Brazilian is currently in intensive care at the AEK military hospital in Budapest after suffering a fractured skull in a freak accident in qualifying for Saturday 's Hungarian Grand Prix . Massa 's condition has improved in the past 24 hours with doctors taking him out of a medically-induced coma on Monday night . He has since responded well to questions and Peter Bazso , the medical director of the hospital , claimed on Tuesday morning that Massa might be able to walk out of the hospital in 10 days ' time . Felipe Massa 's crash in pictures . '' `` My expectation is that he would walk out of the hospital on his own . If his recovery continues , I would n't rule out that he could leave within 10 days , '' Bazso told Hungarian TV channel M1 . `` He 's spending more and more time awake , talking to family and friends . I would like to point out that , although he is recovering , this is not the end of the story , he is still in a life-threatening condition . Of course , the danger is decreasing by the day . '' While the news regarding Massa 's condition continues to be encouraging , behind the scenes Ferrari are faced with the task of finding a replacement driver . Doctors have said Massa will be out for at least six weeks , although there are still fears he may never return as a result of his injuries . He will certainly miss the European and Belgian Grands Prix at the end of August , although the current four-week break before the next race in Valencia gives the Italian team time to assess their options . On the list of likely replacements could be Schumacher -- who won five of his drivers ' titles with Ferrari and works as an advisor for the team . The 40-year-old German 's representative Sabine Kehm told CNN : `` There is no offer from Ferrari , but if they decided they need him , Michael would certainly weigh his options . '' Ferrari spokesman Luca Colajanni later confirmed to the Press Association that Schumacher , who retired in 2006 , was an option . `` We have said before that it is possible that Michael Schumacher could return to help us out , '' said Colajanni . `` However , we have two test drivers at Ferrari -LRB- Luca Badoer and Marc Gene -RRB- at the moment and Michael is an advisor . Does safety need to be improved in Formula One ? `` We have not spoken to him and we will have to wait and see what happens . It is something for -LRB- Ferrari team principal -RRB- Stefano Domenicali to consider over the coming weeks . `` We need to see how Felipe is and the situation will evolve from there . We are not in any hurry , the first and foremost thing is Felipe 's recovery . '' Colajanni also provided further encouraging news regarding Massa , although he played down Bazso 's assertion that he could walk out of hospital as early as next week . `` I think that on Monday he improved a lot but we have to remain cautious , '' he said . `` It is not useful to put forecasts on these things . I think for the moment we should just enjoy the positive improvements that Felipe is making . '' Massa was hurt when a spring that had fallen from the back of Rubens Barrichello 's Brawn GP car struck him on the helmet at high-speed , causing him to lose control of his car and crash into a tire barrier . On Monday , Professor Robert Veres , the surgeon who operated on Massa over the weekend , told reporters that Massa had suffered some damage to his left eye , which could threaten his future in the sport . `` It 's too early to say about his future as we do n't know the extent of the damage . Without an operation it 's very hard to evaluate the eye 's function , '' said Vares . Massa 's crash came less than a week after Formula Two driver Henry Surtees , the son of former world champion John Surtees , was killed in similar circumstances , knocked unconscious by a tire which flew off another car in a race at Brands Hatch in England , before crashing . Formula One 's safety record has improved dramatically in recent years , with the last fatality in 1994 when the legendary Brazilian Ayrton Senna crashed at Imola . | Michael Schumacher could be set to make a surprise return to Formula One . Schumacher might be a short-term replacement for the injured Felipe Massa . Massa continues to make good improvement following his crash on Saturday . | [[0, 15], [45, 190], [0, 15], [45, 190], [501, 566], [3279, 3349]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Florida man in custody in Haiti faces first-degree murder charges in the deaths of his wife and five children , authorities said Tuesday . Police have obtained a warrant to arrest Mesac Damas , 33 , on suspicion of six counts of first-degree murder . Police obtained a warrant overnight to arrest Mesac Damas , 33 , on suspicion of six counts of first-degree murder , the Collier County , Florida , Sheriff 's Office said in a statement . `` This warrant was obtained based on information and evidence collected thus far in the investigation and statements made by Damas to a federal agent after his detention in Haiti , '' the statement said . The body of Damas ' wife , Guerline Damas , 32 , was found Saturday in the family 's North Naples , Florida , home , along with those of the couple 's five children -- Michzach , 9 ; Marven , 6 ; Maven , 5 ; Megan , 3 ; and Morgan , 11 months , police said . Authorities have not said how the five were killed , but Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk described the scene as `` horrific . '' Police released few new details in the case at a Tuesday news conference , except to say they think the killings were premeditated . They added that under the law , `` premeditated '' does not necessarily mean a crime was planned far in advance . Damas was last seen about 9 p.m. Thursday at the Naples restaurant where he was employed as a cook , authorities said . On Friday , he is thought to have arrived at Miami International Airport about 7 a.m. . He boarded a flight for Haiti about 10 a.m. , Rambosk said . His car was found at the airport . He purchased a one-way ticket to Haiti , police said Tuesday . Police had asked the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for help in finding Damas . The FBI 's legal attaché in the Dominican Republic notified Collier County authorities that a man believed to be Damas was taken into custody Monday by the Haitian National Police . `` Information obtained by CCSO shows Damas was found hiding near a hotel in the capital city of Port-au-Prince , '' a sheriff 's statement said Tuesday . The judge who signed the warrant ordered that Damas be held without bond upon his return to Collier County , authorities said . If convicted of six counts of first-degree murder , Damas could face life in prison or the death penalty . Collier County investigators are traveling to Port-au-Prince on Tuesday to interview Damas , the statement said . Rambosk said authorities are looking into two options to return Damas to Florida : following the normal extradition process , or having him deported from Haiti , since he is a U.S. citizen . Mesac and Guerline Damas had a history of domestic violence , police said . Mesac Damas was arrested in January , and pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery charges against his wife in June . Police said they did not believe he served any jail time , and did not think a restraining order was currently in place regarding the couple . However , an arrest warrant was issued Monday for Damas on charges of violating probation stemming from the January arrest . The Damases had been married about 10 years , Rambosk said . He did not know how long they had lived in Naples . The six bodies were found about 6:30 p.m. Saturday , a day after police had visited the home to check on the family , Collier County sheriff 's Capt. Chris Roberts said . A family member asked police to conduct a welfare check on the home Friday , saying a resident there had not been heard from , Roberts said . Responding officers knocked on the door and got no answer , he said , but they saw nothing that aroused their suspicions . The following morning , the family member became more concerned and filed a missing persons report , Rambosk said . Later , authorities requested a key to the house from property management , as well as authorization to enter . Rambosk said Tuesday the victims ' family members are `` extremely emotional and distraught . '' | NEW : At a news conference , police say they think killings were premeditated . Mesac Damas charged with first-degree murder in deaths of wife , 5 children . Six bodies found Saturday in family 's North Naples , Florida , home , police say . Damas , 33 , captured Monday in Haiti ; authorities are headed there to interview him . | [[1059, 1131], [1059, 1065], [1141, 1191], [0, 15], [53, 130], [160, 271], [666, 690], [710, 763], [3224, 3274], [1771, 1952], [1858, 1952], [2343, 2433]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Prosecutors will seek the death penalty against three men accused in connection with the July death of former boxing champion Vernon Forrest , officials said Tuesday . Former boxing champion Vernon Forrest , 38 , was shot and killed in southwest Atlanta , Georgia , on July 25 . A grand jury indicted the three suspects -- Charman Sinkfield , 30 ; Demario Ware , 20 ; and Jquante Crews , 25 -- on charges including murder , felony murder , aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon , Fulton County Superior Court spokesman Don Plummer said in a statement . Forrest , 38 , was shot and killed in southwest Atlanta on July 25 . He had stopped at a gas station to put air in his tire , Plummer said , and was robbed at gunpoint of his championship ring and Rolex watch . `` Forrest chased the robber , believed to be Demario Ware , and then lost sight of him as he escaped into a nearby public housing complex , '' Plummer said . `` Forrest then encountered the accused triggerman , Charman Sinkfield , not far from the scene of the armed robbery . As he turned to walk away from the man , Forrest was shot seven times . '' Crews is accused of being the getaway driver , Plummer said . Forrest was the International Boxing Federation welterweight champion in 2001 , the World Boxing Council welterweight champion in 2002-03 , and the WBC light welterweight champion in 2007-08 and 2008-09 , according to the BoxRec Web site . He was named the World Boxing Hall of Fame fighter of the year in 2002 , the Web site said . A $ 17,000 reward has been offered for the return of the watch and ring , Plummer said . The watch has a black leather band and diamonds , and his championship ring is engraved with his name and four X 's signifying his four championship wins . | Three men accused in July death of former boxing champion Vernon Forrest . Charges include murder , assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon . Forrest , 38 , was robbed , shot and killed in Atlanta , Georgia , after gas station stop . $ 17,000 reward offered for return of watch , championship ring taken in robbery . | [[85, 177], [205, 242], [250, 258], [205, 242], [263, 290], [303, 315], [431, 474], [205, 242], [250, 258], [205, 242], [263, 290], [303, 315], [641, 648], [656, 664], [641, 648], [669, 709], [767, 774], [780, 851], [1600, 1671]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Central Intelligence Agency hired the private security firm Blackwater USA in 2004 to work on a covert program aimed at targeting and potentially killing top al Qaeda leaders , according to a source familiar with the program . CIA Director Leon Panetta canceled the covert program this year when he learned of its full scope . The existence of the program , which began in 2001 , came to light earlier this year when CIA Director Leon Panetta canceled the effort , but it is only now that Blackwater 's involvement has become known . That development was first reported Thursday in The New York Times . The program was part of a broader effort inside the CIA to develop the capacity to conduct training , surveillance and possible covert operations overseas , according to the source . The program was outsourced to contractors to `` put some distance '' between the effort and the U.S. government . By mid-2006 , Blackwater 's involvement in the program had ended , according to a U.S. official . Other contractors were brought in for other parts of the program , another source said . The total program cost `` millions , '' a U.S. official said . It is not known how much Blackwater was paid . The company -- now known as Xe -- did not return CNN 's calls seeking comment . `` The program ebbed and flowed . There were different phases to it . There may have been different folks involved , '' the source said . U.S. officials have previously acknowledged that Panetta canceled the entire program this year when he learned of its full scope . At the time of the cancellation , officials said , renewal of the program was being considered . At that point , it had been brought to the new CIA director 's attention . Panetta canceled the effort in part because Congress had not been notified about it , officials said . Also , some in the intelligence community were worried there could be a diplomatic disaster if contractors were caught performing such work in foreign countries . Former CIA Director Michael Hayden , who ran the agency from 2006 to 2009 , downplayed the program during a speaking engagement in Washington . `` This was not a very prominent thing during my time as director , '' Hayden said . `` What you had were three separate efforts under three different directors to deal with an issue that everyone understood was a problem in a capacity that everyone agreed we should have . '' A spokesman for the CIA would not comment on the details of the still-classified program . `` Director Panetta thought this effort should be briefed to Congress , and he did so , '' spokesman George Little said . `` He also knew it had n't been successful , so he ended it . Neither decision was difficult . This was clear and straightforward . `` Director Panetta did not tell the committees that the agency had misled the Congress or had broken the law . He decided that the time had come to brief Congress on a counterterrorism effort . '' Blackwater 's extensive involvement in U.S. operations overseas , particularly in Iraq , has been controversial . The Iraqi government says that in a shooting in September 2007 , Blackwater security guards killed 17 Iraqi civilians . Blackwater says its employees were returning fire after they were attacked by armed insurgents , but an Iraqi investigation concluded that the guards randomly fired at civilians without provocation . The incident led to the Iraqi government 's refusal to renew the firm 's operating license in the country when it expired in May . Although it lost the Iraq contract , the company , which changed its name to Xe earlier this year , continued to get multimillion-dollar contracts from the U.S. government for work in Afghanistan . | Program , begun in 2001 , came to light this year , when it was canceled . It was part of CIA effort to develop possible covert operations overseas . U.S. official says Blackwater 's involvement in program had ended by mid-2006 . Ex-CIA director : `` This was not a very prominent thing during my time as director '' | [[261, 360], [378, 389], [398, 411], [361, 389], [414, 445], [1449, 1543], [1498, 1579], [637, 692], [685, 791], [934, 945], [948, 998], [934, 936], [948, 988], [1001, 1031], [1158, 1183], [2018, 2052], [2059, 2091], [2018, 2052], [2094, 2161], [2162, 2227]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Pentagon has revolutionized warfare during the past decade , making unmanned aerial vehicles , known as UAVs , a staple of modern combat in Afghanistan and Iraq . A USAF technician at Creech Air Force Base , checks Hellfire missile attachments on a Predator . Remotely-controlled drones , such as the Predator and the Reaper , have allowed the U.S. military to spy on and attack enemy combatants without putting their own forces at risk , thereby making UAVs a must-have . `` The real advantage of unmanned aerial systems is they allow you to project power without projecting vulnerability , '' says USAF Lt. Gen. David Deptula at the Pentagon . But as USAF commanders try to provide enough pilots to take charge of drones , many are considering another aspect of the warfare revolution -- the psychological impact on those controlling the vehicles . As Dr. Kory Cornum , a USAF colonel , explains : `` Whereas we have thousands of years of data on what it 's like to go to war really , we only have a few years of data on what it 's like to go to war virtually . And so we do n't have really enough data . '' Pilots are now dealing with something never experienced before -- a rapid transition from intense combat to home comfort , often in less than an hour . Some describe it as a version of post-traumatic stress disorder , often more associated with soldiers directly in harm 's way . Peter Singer , an adviser to U.S. President Barack Obama 's campaign team and author of `` Wired for War , '' described one encounter with a frustrated non-commissioned officer . `` She actually banged the table , saying : ` No one is paying attention to this issue of PTSD -LSB- post-traumatic stress disorder -RSB- among my men and women , no one 's paying attention to it , '' Singer says . `` And she talked about a scene where they were flying a drone above a set of U.S. soldiers that were killed and the drone was unarmed at the time and they could n't do anything about it . They just circled above and they watched U.S. soldiers die in front of them . '' Watch the debate about the impact of UAVs on pilots '' USAF fighter pilots like Major Morgan Andrews remotely control drones from Creech Air Force Base in Nevada . Less than an hour after targeting he 'll be back in suburban Las Vegas , his drive home more physically dangerous than the combat mission he has just undertaken . Commanders at Creech say that if there is stress , it comes from relentless around-the-clock shift work . Andrews says that like any good pilot he has learned to compartmentalize his life , using his commute to and from work to transition . `` I think about work , I think about what happened , '' Andrews explains , `` what I could 've done better , anything I maybe did wrong that I could 've done differently , how could I do it better next time . I just kind of go through it and usually , by the time I get home , I 've sorted it all through my mind and stick it away in a file and go on with life . '' For Andrews , fighting from Nevada more than outweighs the drawbacks of long overseas deployments , allowing him to enjoy life at home with his family and friends . Cornum adds that the drive home is more of a blessing than anyone realized . `` It does give you some amount of time , as opposed to if you lived on base and you could literally walk out of war and into your house , '' he says . `` I do n't know if 30 minutes is enough . But it gives you time to decompress . '' But conducting remote warfare , as Cornum explains , brings with it stress that vary from those usually experienced by troops . `` The big difference is that when you are actually deployed , you are with all your battle buddies who are experiencing the thing 24/7 . Whereas when you go home , you go home to your family , to your neighbors , who are not in the battle all the time . And that 's good and bad . '' | Robotic warfare allows pilots to control armed vehicles without risk to themselves . Military experts are now looking at the psychological impact this may have on pilots . Pilots now transition from battlefield to home environment in less than an hour . Some pilots welcome operating from the U.S. rather than being deployed overseas . | [[283, 347], [395, 459], [1161, 1253], [3335, 3390]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. troops have launched a `` major operation '' against Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan , U.S. military officials announced in Afghanistan early Thursday . U.S. Marines gather for a briefing in Helmand Province , Afghanistan , on Wednesday . About 4,000 Americans , mostly from the Marines , and 650 Afghan soldiers and police launched Operation Khanjar -- `` strike of the sword '' -- in the Helmand River valley , the U.S. command in Kabul announced . The push is the largest since the Pentagon began moving additional troops into the conflict this year , and it follows a British-led operation launched last week in the same region , the Marines said . It is also the first big move since U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal took over as the allied commander in Afghanistan in mid-June . In Washington , a senior defense official said the size and scope of the new operation are `` very significant . '' `` It 's not common for forces to operate at the brigade level , '' the official said . `` In fact , they often only conduct missions at the platoon level . And they 're going into the most troubled area of Afghanistan . '' Helmand Province , where much of the fighting is taking place , has been a hotbed of Taliban violence in recent months . At least 25 U.S. and British troops have been killed there in 2009 . The defense official said the operation is a `` tangible indication '' of the new approach that McChrystal -- a former chief of the Pentagon 's special operations command -- is bringing to the nearly eight-year war . `` They 're not just doing an offensive push to get bad guys ; they 're going in to hold the area and stay there , '' the official said . `` This approach is indicative of McChrystal 's philosophy : measuring success by the number of Afghans protected , not bad guys killed . '' The Obama administration has moved about 21,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan , the original front in the war launched after the September 11 attacks . During his confirmation hearing in June , McChrystal told senators that the conflict requires a new focus on counterinsurgency to reduce violence and build support for the U.S.-led NATO alliance among Afghans . `` Although I expect stiff fighting ahead , the measure of success will not be enemy killed . It will be shielding the Afghan population from violence , '' he said . The Islamic fundamentalist Taliban ruled most of Afghanistan before its allies in the al Qaeda terrorist network attacked New York and Washington in 2001 . Though quickly toppled after the attacks , its leaders escaped , and the movement regrouped in the Afghan countryside and across the border in Pakistan . CNN Pentagon Correspondent Chris Lawrence contributed to this report . | 4,000 American troops , 650 Afghans involved in Operation Khanjar . It focuses on Helmand River valley , hotbed of Taliban violence . Operation 's size and scope are `` very significant , '' official says . | [[272, 383], [1154, 1170], [1179, 1215], [1154, 1170], [1210, 1274], [814, 827], [830, 900], [861, 926], [995, 1017], [1676, 1698]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least 12 airplanes shared the trans-Atlantic sky with doomed Air France Flight 447 , but none reported any problems , deepening the mystery surrounding the cause of the plane 's disappearance . Image released by the Brazilian Air Force shows oil slicks in the water near a debris site . Airlines confirmed that at least a dozen aircraft departed roughly at the same time and traversed approximately the same route , but did not report problematic weather conditions . This has led some aviation experts to suggest that technical problems on the airplane might be the main cause of the crash , though they may have combined with weather conditions to create serious problems . The new information raises more questions than answers about Air France 447 , believed to have plunged into the Atlantic Ocean somewhere between the coasts of Brazil and West Africa on May 31 , presumably killing all 228 aboard . The plane 's computer system reported a series of technical problems about four hours after takeoff and immediately after entering a large storm system a few hundred miles from the far eastern coast of Brazil . Severe winds , updrafts and even lightning have been mentioned as possible causes of the crash , potentially triggering a failure of the plane 's technical systems . But aviation experts cautioned that weather alone would not normally cause a crash . Planes routinely fly through large storms , using the sensitive radar on board to navigate through specific storm cells . When conditions are severe enough , planes can easily deviate around or above storms , experts say . In addition to Flight 447 , Air France had four other Paris-bound flights that left in the same broad time frame from that part of the world , according to an airline spokesman . One flight left Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , at 4:20 p.m. . At that same moment , another Air France flight left nearby Sao Paulo . A third Air France flight left Buenos Aires , Argentina , at 5:50 p.m. , also heading for Paris . A final Air France flight left Sao Paulo at 7:10 p.m. , almost exactly when the doomed flight took off from Rio . All of these flights took a similar route toward Paris , heading first toward Recife on the east coast of Brazil and then continuing northeast over the Atlantic . None of the other flights experienced anything unusual , the spokesman said . All arrived in Paris the next day , with no significant delays of any kind . That same evening two Air Iberia flights bound for Madrid , Spain , left Brazil at about the same time as Flight 447 ; one departed from Rio de Janeiro and another from Sao Paulo , according to officials at Iberia . Those flights also reported no problems . It was the same story for one British Airways flight and three Air TAM Brazil flights , all of which flew routes similar to the missing plane . Although none of the other flights are known to have reported weather problems en route , aviation experts said weather can change suddenly and vary over short distances , so one plane might experience conditions far worse than another . | At least 12 flights traveled from Brazil to Europe around same time as 447 . None of the other flights reported bad weather or other problems . Aviation experts say weather alone would not normally cause a crash . They also say weather can change quickly and vary over short distances . | [[28, 70], [309, 489], [333, 392], [333, 358], [397, 435], [1641, 1753], [309, 489], [442, 489], [2296, 2350], [2667, 2680], [2686, 2708], [2862, 2887], [2898, 2940], [1309, 1389], [2943, 3022]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The separatist group behind a series of bombings on a Spanish vacation island marks the 50 year anniversary of its struggle this year , a milestone that sees it no closer to achieving its goal . Police cordon off the route leading to the location of the latest blasts in Palma de Mallorca . ETA , which is fighting for the independence of Spain 's northern Basque region , was said to be behind three bombs that detonated on the island of Mallorca on Sunday without hurting anyone . The latest incident appears to be part of a new wave of attacks , including another in Mallorca which killed two Civil Guard officers in July , which have left a 2006 cease-fire a distant memory . The violent resurgence also defies Spanish government claims that the group 's operational capabilities have been broken by a series of high profile arrests in Spain and France . ETA , blamed for more than 800 deaths and listed as a terrorist group by Spain the European Union and the United States , began campaigning for Basque independence in 1959 . The group , whose full name Euskadi Ta Askatasuna means `` Basque Homeland and Freedom '' in the Basque language , killed what some say was its first victim in 1968 . Since then it waged a campaign of violence against the Spanish state , targeting politicians , policemen , judges and soldiers , often clocking up numerous civilian casualties with deadly car bombs . In 1980 alone ETA was blamed for 118 deaths , and in 1995 it nearly succeeded in assassinating Jose Maria Aznar , then leader of the opposition and later Spain 's prime minister . On September 16 , 1998 , the organization declared a `` unilateral and indefinite '' cease-fire , raising hopes that its campaign was at an end . ETA called off the cease-fire in November 1999 , however , and 2000 saw a sharp escalation in violence . Another unilateral cease-fire was declared in March 2005 , with ETA raising hopes for a lasting peace by declaring it `` permanent . '' It was called off by ETA in June 2006 following numerous more ETA attacks . At the center of the struggle is a region know as Euskal Herria in Basque . The area straddles the western end of the Pyrenees , covering 20,664 square kilometers in northern Spain and southern France . See map of territory claimed by Basque separatists . Spain officially recognizes three Basque provinces , Alava , Guipuzcoa and Vizcaya . A fourth neighboring province , Navarra , is of Basque heritage . Separatists consider these four provinces plus three in France -- Basse Navarre , Labourd and Soule -- as the Basque country , with a population approaching 3 million . The area has always possessed a fiercely independent instinct . The Basque people are the oldest indigenous ethnic group in Europe and have lived uninterrupted in the same region since the beginning of recorded history . Their language , Euskera , which is spoken regularly by about 40 percent of Basque inhabitants , bears no relation to any other Indo-European tongue and dates back to before the Romans arrived in Spain . For many centuries the Basques of Spain enjoyed a strong degree of autonomy . The Basque region 's hilly landscape helped keep its people isolated from outside influences . In the Spanish Civil War , two Basque provinces -- Guipuzcoa and Viscaya -- fought against Gen. Francisco Franco , while the provinces of Alava and Navarra fought for Franco . Under Franco 's dictatorship -LRB- 1939-75 -RRB- , most of the Basque region had its remaining autonomy rescinded . Its culture , people and language were suppressed . ETA and its demands for an independent Basque state arose in 1959 in the midst of this suppression . ETA has focused its activities on the Spanish side of the border . For many years France provided a safe haven for ETA members , a situation that began to change in the mid-1980s . The organization has financed its campaign through kidnapping , bank robbery and a so-called `` revolutionary tax '' on Basque businesses -- a payment widely regarded as plain extortion . According to the counter-terrorism office of the U.S. State Department , ETA members received training in Libya , Lebanon and Nicaragua , while the group also enjoyed close links with the Irish Republican Army . The Good Friday peace accord influenced ETA to call its cease-fire in 1998 . | Basque separatist group ETA formed in 1959 began violent campaign in 1968 . Most recent cease-fire collapsed in 2007 despite pledges of permanence . Group blamed for more than 800 deaths , including many civilians . | [[310, 313], [322, 389], [878, 881], [1000, 1051], [1745, 1748], [1813, 1849], [3580, 3680], [878, 881], [884, 915], [1290, 1311], [1348, 1418]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A woman asked Rep. Allen Boyd at a town hall meeting the other day if health care reform proposals would force people to let the government access their bank accounts . False rumors about health care have been aired at town hall meetings , like this one in Maryland last week . `` That 's not true , '' the Florida Democrat responded . `` When someone sends you something on the Internet that sounds crazy , how about just checking it a little bit ? '' The CNN Truth Squad , which fact-checks political claims , has debunked the bank-access rumor as false . Yet that claim , and others that have been disproved , keep coming up in the national debate on health care reform , inflaming an already emotional issue . Heated protests have disrupted town hall meetings nationwide , with people shouting at legislators and venting anger at President Obama . While the anger is genuine , some of it is based on misunderstandings of the actual proposals , said Kenneth Thorpe , a health policy expert at Emory University . `` People are freaked out because there 's a lot of bad information and misinformation being ... put out there by opponents of health care reform , '' Thorpe told CNN . Obama and the Democrats say misleading information sows fear and anger , particularly among senior citizens who are worried about how changes in health care could affect Medicare . The White House and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have set up Web campaigns to refute what they describe as provably false information . `` It is now evident that an ugly campaign is under way not merely to misrepresent the health insurance reform legislation , but to disrupt public meetings and prevent members of Congress and constituents from conducting a civil dialogue , '' Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer wrote in a recent commentary . Republican opponents respond that the emotional reaction is due to Democratic efforts to rush through legislation that amounts to a government takeover of the health care system . They say the proposals eventually will lead to a system that rations treatment based on an individual 's ability to contribute to society . `` We 've actually started a national debate about exactly what is at stake here , '' Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said Wednesday . Speaking on MSNBC , Steele said the town hall meetings across the country are reflecting that debate . However , when asked directly about one of the most controversial statements by some Republicans -- that a House bill would create `` death panels '' to decide who gets treatment -- Steele refused to acknowledge that such language was misinformation . The CNN Truth Squad determined the `` death panel '' claim was false , along with others spread by conservative commentators and activist groups who say Democratic proposals would promote euthanizing elderly Americans and mandate free health insurance for illegal immigrants . One of the most disputed provisions , contained in a House health care proposal , would pay doctors for consultations with patients on end-of-life issues , such as living wills . The proposal is similar to one originally written by Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia . Opponents have implied or said outright that consultations would be required -- even though the proposal says they would be voluntary . Some Republicans and Democrats have rejected the `` death panel '' language , but the issue keeps coming up . At a town hall meeting Tuesday night in Dartmouth , Massachusetts , powerful House Democrat Rep. Barney Frank called the notion that health care legislation required killing elderly people `` the single stupidest thing I 've heard . '' Obama says the misinformation confuses people over an already complex issue that requires public understanding . `` The notion that somehow I ran for public office or members of Congress are in this so that they can go around pulling the plug on grandma ... when you start making arguments like that , it 's simply dishonest , '' the president recently said . Wendell Potter , a former insurance company communications executive , told CNN that the insurance industry deliberately spreads false information with the goal of disrupting the debate . The insurance industry hires public relations firms that create front groups to try to `` destroy health care reform by using terms like ` government takeover of the health care system ' or we are heading down a ` slippery slope toward socialism ' or ` we 're going to kill your grandpa ' because of these health care regulations , '' said Potter , now a senior fellow at the Center for Media and Democracy , which calls itself a nonpartisan watchdog group on public relations spin . Asked to respond to Potter 's accusation , the director of strategic communications at America 's Health Insurance Plans , Robert Zirkelbach , acknowledged in an e-mail Wednesday that the group opposes some aspects of Democratic health care proposals . `` We have been very clear and up front since day one about our opposition to a government-run insurance plan that would dismantle employer coverage , bankrupt hospitals , and increase the federal deficit , '' Zirkelbach 's e-mail said . He denied that employees of his group , which is the national association of health insurers , were `` responsible for disruptive and inappropriate tactics at health care town hall meetings . '' However , some of the language cited by Potter is used by politicians , including Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah , who told the NBC program `` Meet the Press '' on Sunday that `` the Democrats want a government plan , where the government will take over health care . '' Democratic proposals call for creating a government-funded health insurance plan for people who otherwise lack coverage . That is the so-called public option , which they say would compete with private insurers . Hatch and other Republicans argue the public option would create a subsidized competitor that would drive private insurers out of business , leading to the government taking over the health care system . Though Democrats deny that Republican assertion , it touches on broader fears among conservatives . Many conservatives consider the proposed health care overhaul an irresponsible and dangerous expansion of the federal government . They liken it to socialist-style control over private issues , at a cost of nearly $ 1 trillion over 10 years . At the same time , Americans facing an economic recession and costly government responses -- such as the $ 787 billion economic stimulus package and billions more paid to bail out the financial services and auto industries -- are fearful of further change and additional federal debt . Such concerns come up repeatedly at the town hall meetings held by Democrats and Republicans . The deficit recently topped $ 1 trillion for the first time ; Obama has said he hopes to cut it in half by the end of his first term . `` When the economy is hurting , people are more inclined , I think , to be skeptical , nervous , '' Frank said . The misinformation , while refuted , has brought changes in the debate . Conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh exulted Monday when Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa said that Senate negotiators dropped the end-of-life consultation provision from their proposal because Grassley said he worried it `` could be misinterpreted and implemented incorrectly . '' Limbaugh said on his radio show that no matter what the health care proposals say , they will result in less money available for health care . `` It will forever transform the relationship between Americans , '' he said . `` We will instantly become rivals . We 're going to become competitors vying against each other for precious health care dollars . '' Grassley , who is one of three Republicans negotiating a possible bipartisan health care agreement , has used controversial language himself . He told a town hall meeting last week he could n't support a provision that would `` pull the plug on grandma . '' Former Democratic Sen. Tom Daschle called such comments part of the problem . `` It 's hyperbolic , it 's fear-mongering , it 's actually politics at its worst , '' Daschle said Sunday on NBC 's `` Meet the Press . '' `` That 's the kind of thing that generates the kind of anger and fear and anxiety that people have today . '' | Claims that have been debunked continue to pop up in town hall meetings , protests . Dems say `` ugly campaign '' under way to misrepresent proposals , disrupt debate . GOP says Dems trying to rush through a bill that eventually would lead to rationing . End-of-life provision that sparked `` death panel '' rumor dropped from Senate version . | [[199, 267], [605, 615], [621, 640], [3451, 3478], [6755, 6813], [1045, 1190], [1555, 1651], [4075, 4089], [4146, 4262], [1848, 1961], [2028, 2083], [7282, 7412]] |
BURBANK , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jay Leno ended his 17-year reign as the host of `` The Tonight Show '' Friday with the children of people who met and started families while working at the long-running late-night show during his tenure , according to audience members who attended the taping . Jay Leno stands with the children of people who met and started families while working on the show . `` Jay said that 's what he wanted his legacy to be , '' said Kevin Anthony of Miami , Florida . `` His staff members , from stage managers to runners , who met , got married and had kids joined Jay on the stage and he took a picture with the 70 kids of those parents . '' `` Jay also thanked his wife , '' said Kathy Young of Los Angeles , `` Jay said , when these kids are asked what was the ` Tonight Show ' about , I want them to say , my parents met while working on the show and they had me . And that 's what the ` Tonight Show ' was all about . '' Others in the audience said the show was about celebration . `` It was amazing , '' said Justin Herring from Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania . `` It was a celebration more than emotional , '' he said . `` It did n't feel like a last show , more like a transition . '' Rosa Moore from Denver , Colorado , said Leno became teary-eyed when James Taylor sang `` Sweet Baby James . '' `` When James Taylor sang the line , ` I 'm 10 miles from Boston with a thousand miles more to go , ' Jay wiped his eye , '' said Moore . `` Jay explained that when he left Boston for Los Angeles , he was just outside of Boston when he heard that line and it gave him the courage to keep going , '' she said . `` It 's like the song is Jay 's personal soundtrack . '' Leno will be back in the fall with a new prime time show , and he 's taking most of his staff with him . The new show will have some of the same elements as `` The Tonight Show '' but with some new features . Conan O'Brien , Leno 's first guest Friday night , will be taking over `` The Tonight Show '' hosting duties beginning Monday . | Leno brings out kids of those who met , married while working on his show . Audience members say show also includes song by James Taylor . Conan O'Brien , Leno 's first guest , takes over show Monday . Leno moves to prime time in the fall . | [[0, 7], [10, 36], [40, 145], [139, 145], [158, 213], [338, 344], [357, 401], [828, 839], [842, 882], [10, 26], [245, 274], [1909, 1922], [1960, 2036], [1700, 1746]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Man-made climate change threatens to stress water resources , challenge crops and livestock , raise sea levels and adversely affect human health , according to a report released by the Obama administration on Tuesday . Farmers and workers in central California are suffering through the third year of a worsening drought . The nearly 200-page document on global climate change -- released by the White House science adviser and mandated by Congress -- does not include new research , but encompasses several recent studies on the effects of global warming over the last half century . Among the report 's key findings are an `` unequivocal and primarily human-induced '' rise in the Earth 's temperature of 2 degrees Fahrenheit over the last 50 years , and a projection of more rapidly changing temperatures over the next several decades . `` It 's not just a problem for the future , '' said Jane Lubchenco , administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . `` We 're beginning to see the impact on our daily lives . '' The continuing temperature rise is likely to spur a series of negative consequences for the Earth 's energy supply , water , transportation , ecosystems and health , the study said . '' -LSB- The report -RSB- tells us why remedial action is needed sooner rather than later , as well as showing why that action must include both global emissions reductions to reduce the extent of climate change and local adaptation measures to reduce the damage from the changes that are no longer avoidable , '' said John P. Holdren , the White House science adviser . Among the study 's specific predictions : Longer and more intense heat waves ; increased heavy downpours likely to cause widespread complications such as flooding and waterborne diseases ; reduced summer runoff , creating greater competition for water , especially in the West ; rising ocean water temperatures that will threaten coral reefs ; an increase in wildfires and insect infestations ; and more frequent coastal flooding caused by rising seas . The report is the first in almost a decade to break down impacts of climate change on regions and economic sectors of the United States . For example , warming trends in coming decades are expected to reduce the lobster catch in the waters of the Northeast , increase the intensity of hurricanes in the Southeast and accelerate drought in the Southwest , it said . Authors of the comprehensive report said they hope it can serve as a valuable tool for policymakers and other Americans , such as farmers making crop decisions or local governments passing zoning restrictions in coastal areas . The report comes as Congress debates a White House-backed climate change bill that seeks to reduce the United State 's greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050 through a so-called `` cap and trade '' program . The bill cleared a key House committee vote in May and could be considered by the entire chamber within the next two weeks , House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Tuesday . The bill 's future remains unclear in the Senate , where leaders are holding off advancing their own version of the legislation until it clears the lower chamber . | Man-made climate change is adversely affecting the U.S. , says a federal report . Report : Changes will stress water resources , challenge crops and raise sea levels . Document is released by White House science adviser and mandated by Congress . Report 's predictions : Hotter heat waves , more flooding and an increase in wildfires . | [[0, 15], [19, 143], [81, 110], [166, 187], [1062, 1225], [374, 395], [399, 442], [342, 395], [447, 467], [1616, 1643], [1658, 1692], [1695, 1802], [1960, 2008], [2222, 2254], [2329, 2422]] |
ROME , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pope Benedict XVI preached and greeted well-wishers Sunday , three days after breaking his wrist in a fall . The pope celebrates mass with his broken wrist in plaster . He held the text of his speech in his uninjured left hand , then circulated among the crowd who came to hear him in Romano Canavese , pictures from the northern Italian town showed . The 82-year-old pope had surgery on his right wrist after he fell Thursday night , spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told CNN on Friday . The pope is `` learning '' to live with his cast , Lombardi told Vatican Radio . The most painful aspect of the incident for Benedict is having to give up writing by hand , which he had intended to do frequently during his annual vacation Italy 's Val d'Aosta region , Lombardi told the official Vatican station . `` I know that here , too , in the Ivera region , many families are facing economic hard times due to a lack of work , '' he said , referring to the now-defunct Olivetti typewriter manufacturer in the region . `` Dear friend , do not be discouraged , '' he added , according to Agence-France Presse . `` Providence always helps those who do the right thing and seek justice ; it also helps those who think not only of themselves , but also think of those in worse situations than their own . '' | Pope preaches and greeted well-wishers , three days after breaking his wrist . Benedict XVI had surgery on his right wrist after he fell Thursday night . Most painful aspect for pope is having to stop writing by hand , spokesman says . | [[0, 4], [7, 28], [50, 58], [7, 28], [63, 90], [93, 140], [141, 200], [7, 28], [63, 90], [93, 140], [384, 464], [604, 693]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Many Google users probably did n't notice this month that they can now display their search tips in the Hawaiian language . Hawaiian is one of more than 125 `` interface languages '' now available on Google . Wedged between Hausa and Hebrew , Hawaiian is one of more than 125 `` interface languages '' now available on Google . The list also includes some humorous twists on English , including `` pirate , '' `` Klingon '' and `` Elmer Fudd . '' But for Hawaiian educators , the addition of Hawaiian is a small step toward legitimizing a language that is considered `` critically endangered '' by the United Nations . `` It 's the capstone of a lot of work , '' said Keola Donaghy , an assistant professor of Hawaiian studies at the University of Hawaii-Hilo . `` We 've been doing this work for 18 years , simply trying to make it easier for people who speak Hawaiian to use these kinds of technologies . '' It marks the first native American language available through the `` Google in Your Language '' program . Getting started . It took Donaghy several years to get the project off the ground through the `` Google in Your Language '' program , which was launched by the California-based company not long after it was founded in 1998 . `` The idea was to enable users worldwide to be able to access Google in the language of their choice , and if it was n't available , to enable users to help make it so , '' Google spokesman Nate Tyler said . `` Why limit users to a set of dominant languages if they were willing to help make Google their own ? '' The results of the search are still in English , although the user can select a preference for Web pages written in more than 40 other main languages . Google works with linguists like Donaghy who are interested in translating search instructions into their language . `` Volunteers sign up on their own to provide translation , '' Tyler explained . `` They simply sign themselves up , declare a language proficiency , and then start translating or reviewing the products that are available for volunteer translation . `` When the translations are completed , we make the product -LRB- s -RRB- available in that language . Recent other languages like this include Maori language . '' It was the Maori project , launched last year , that actually helped get Donaghy 's initiative off the ground . Three years ago , Donaghy started e-mailing and calling Google about a Hawaiian language project , but he got no response . He put the project on hold until last year . `` When I heard the Maori version came out , I asked Google about it , '' Donaghy said . `` Apparently the original -LRB- language -RRB- coordinator had gone and as soon as a new coordinator was brought online , they set up the system . '' Donaghy began working on the massive translation project sometime late last year . `` It was whenever I could find an hour or two in between teaching or other duties , '' he said . `` It was a combination of personal and work time . '' He spent more than 100 hours translating the search terms that appear on the Google page into Hawaiian through the program . `` I did the actual translation from beginning to end , and then I consulted with my colleagues at the university who have worked on these projects in the past , '' Donaghy said . `` I wanted to be very consistent -- such as how you say ` Go to this menu and select this ' -- or people may become confused . '' What 's Hawaiian for ` browsing ' the Web ' ? Some of the Hawaiian words for terms such as `` links '' or `` Web browser '' had already been established when Donaghy and others worked on translating the Netscape Navigator search engine in 1997 . `` Over the years , we usually face the debate of do we want to ` Hawaiianize ' an English word , or take an old Hawaiian word and give it a new meaning , '' he said . He explained some of the challenges in translating terms , such as `` browsing '' or `` surfing , '' into Hawaiian . `` People use the term ` surf the Internet ' and they 'll say ` he'e nalu ' which is literally surfing the ocean out on a board , '' he explained . `` But we use ` kele , ' which is what you do when you 're steering a canoe . So we chose that as you 're navigating the net . '' Donaghy finished the translation project in April , but there were issues with the code for the search engine that would not activate the Hawaiian language interface . The Hawaiian language interface actually launched on Apple 's Safari browser first because Donaghy had worked with Apple to ensure that the language 's diacritical marks and characters were available on the company 's computers . `` Now , it comes with every computer that they ship , '' he said . See and hear phrases in Hawaiian '' Some Apple computer users who had selected Hawaiian as their primary language for other programs noticed a couple of weeks ago that Google 's search terms started appearing in Hawaiian , too . `` People started calling me and asking , ` Did you hack into my computer ? My Google is in Hawaiian , ' '' Donaghy said . `` And that was the point I said , ` OK , word is getting out about this ' and I put out a news release . I was afraid someone was going to start freaking out , ` Why is my computer in Hawaiian ? ' '' Important milestone for Hawaii 's culture . The initiative is an important milestone for Hawaiian linguists and cultural educators who have pushed to have their native language taught in schools alongside English . It was n't until the 1980s that the law banning the Hawaiian language from being taught in schools was overturned . The law was established in the late 19th century as a prerequisite to Hawaii becoming a U.S. territory . Today , more and more Hawaiians are studying and majoring in Hawaiian language programs . There are Hawaiian language immersion programs in which English is taught as a second language . Mona Wood , a Hawaiian speaker and owner of a public relations firm in Honolulu , said there has been a kind of Hawaiian language `` renaissance '' in the state since the late 1970s . `` Even tourism has been learning and growing and realizing that our ` host culture ' must be added to the visitor experience , '' Wood said . `` There are many more programs available at hotels and shopping malls that were n't there 20 years ago . '' Wood said that when she studied Hawaiian in college , it was under the foreign languages department . `` It has been so wonderful to see so many of our youth embrace the native culture and see the programs expand to the point where there is an entire Hawaiian Studies Department , '' she said . `` One can now get a B.A. -LRB- Bachelor of Arts -RRB- and M.A. -LRB- Master of Arts -RRB- in Hawaiian language . '' Wood -- who owns Ikaika Communications , which represents local officials , local and national companies and celebrities including Duane `` Dog the Bounty Hunter '' Chapman -- said that when she was growing up , `` Our culture was dying in every way . '' `` Learning my roots came through my own curiosity -- choosing to take hula lessons when my mom wanted me to take piano , '' she said . `` Then I went to the Hawaiian High School , Kamehameha , and continued with some Hawaiian classes and joined a club at UH -LRB- University of Hawaii -RRB- . `` Seeing Hawaiian knowledge becoming an asset over the years has been truly satisfying , '' she said . Donaghy hopes the Google initiative is another step toward giving Hawaiian `` the same status as English and other major European and Asian languages '' -- particularly in the fast-moving sector of technology . `` To me personally it 's very important that we are giving the opportunity to have as many things in Hawaiian as in English , '' he said . `` So if we had not begun to address technology in the early 1990s , we would be telling people that this is a place where Hawaiian does n't belong . You have to revert to English . `` We did n't want to send that kind of message so we 've worked to make the language more accessible . '' | Google search terms now available in Hawaiian . Keola Donaghy spent 100 hours translating for `` Google in Your Language '' program . Hawaiian is considered a `` critically endangered '' language by the U.N. It is the only native American language available in Google search preferences . | [[4895, 4947], [3016, 3073], [3035, 3140], [523, 637], [929, 994]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From the time she was an 11-year-old , blue-eyed , freckle-faced blonde until she was a 29-year-old woman with two children , Jaycee Dugard was kept locked away in a backyard compound of sheds and tarps by a couple who police say abducted her . Jaycee Dugard was locked in a shed tucked under a blue tarp in her alleged captor 's backyard . She was more than 160 miles from home , and her family had no idea where she was . Nobody else knew she was there except the couple who snatched her off the street in front of her house in South Lake Tahoe , California , in 1991 , and took her straight to the soundproof shed , police said . Dugard 's pocket of Phillip and Nancy Garrido 's backyard in Antioch , California , was so overgrown no one even knew it existed . The details about Dugard 's time in captivity emerged Thursday after one of Northern California 's most enduring mysteries was solved and the Garridos were arrested and accused of her kidnapping . Anyone who came across the couple 's backyard , littered with garbage cans and a dishwasher , would assume that it ended at a 6-foot fence . Watch aerial images of the backyard compound '' `` You could walk through the backyard and never know there was another set of living circumstances , '' said Fred Kollar , undersheriff of El Dorado County . `` There was nothing that would cause you to question it . You ca n't see it from either adjoining property . It was presumably well arranged . '' But tucked away beyond the tangle of bushes , high grass and trees was a blue tarp that concealed the only world Dugard had known since her abduction . Kollar said the property had `` a hidden backyard within a backyard . '' It included several sheds no taller than 6 feet , two tents and several outbuildings , `` where Jaycee and the girls spent most of their lives . '' It also held a vehicle that matched the description of the car used in Dugard 's kidnapping , Kollar said . The `` secondary '' backyard was inside the first and was `` screened from view . '' One of the sheds was soundproof , he said . In it were sheds and tarps , a makeshift bathroom and shower , along with electricity supplied by extension cords . Kollar compared the primitive conditions to camping . Dugard lived for several years there by herself . The sheds were locked from the outside . She grew up and had her captor 's children there , and raised them there . `` None of them have ever been to school , they 've never been to a doctor , '' Kollar said . `` They were kept in complete isolation in this compound , if you will , at the rear of the house , '' he said . `` They were born there . '' The children , both girls , are now 15 and 11 . `` They are all in good health , '' Kollar said in response to a question about how Dugard and her children are doing . `` But living in a backyard for the last 18 years does take its toll . '' Dugard 's presence behind Garrido 's home apparently went unnoticed by many in the neighborhood , where homes on one-fourth to one-half-acre lots typically sell for less than $ 200,000 . Watch neighbors react '' `` My dad said he never saw a young woman , '' said Kathy Russo , whose father has lived two houses away from the Garridos for 33 years . She said the one-story house 's backyard was obscured by trees and ringed by a wooden fence . Her 94-year-old father considered Garrido to be a `` kind of strange , reclusive , kind of an angry kind of guy , '' Russo said . But one man who lives in the neighborhood told CNN that he called the local sheriff 's department a few years ago after seeing what he thought were several children living in the backyard . The man said authorities came out and had a brief conversation with the Garrido family , but nothing ever happened . | NEW : Neighbor says he once called police after seeing children in backyard . Jaycee Dugard locked in soundproof sheds in alleged captor 's backyard for 18 years . Compound of sheds , tarps equipped with makeshift bathroom and shower . Authorities : Dugard was `` kept in complete isolation in this compound '' | [[3477, 3637], [3605, 3662], [145, 221], [264, 330], [292, 359], [2041, 2072], [2826, 2827], [2832, 2874], [2825, 2895], [145, 221], [292, 359], [2085, 2145], [145, 221], [2515, 2571]] |
KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two separate militant assaults Saturday in the southeastern Afghan province of Paktika led to the deaths of two U.S. soldiers and at least 42 insurgents , military officials said . U.S. Marines , under fire from a building , move to take it Saturday in Helmand province , Afghanistan . The soldiers died when Taliban fighters attacked a base in Zerok that houses members of the U.S. military , Afghan national police and Afghan National Army , said the provincial governor 's spokesman , Hamidullah Zawak . He said the Taliban first detonated a truck full of explosives , then attacked the base with missiles and rockets . The military responded by sending in aircraft and dropping bombs , killing 32 Taliban fighters and wounding many , Zawak said , without giving a number . Seven of the wounded Taliban fighters were arrested . Zawak said one U.S. soldier was killed and another wounded . Sgt. Chuck Marsh , however , a U.S. military spokesman , said two U.S. service members were killed and four wounded . Two soldiers from the Afghan National Army were also hurt , Zawak said . A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack in a phone call to a CNN stringer in Kabul . Several hours later , at least 10 militants were killed and one detained in an assault on a combat outpost in the province . Insurgents attacked with indirect fire , including multiple rockets and mortars -- at least one of which contained white phosphorous -- small-arms fire and a car bomb , according to a statement from NATO 's International Security Assistance Force -LRB- ISAF -RRB- . Soldiers from ISAF and the Afghan National Army fired back , aided by planes and attack helicopters . No civilian casualties were reported . In other developments in and around Paktika : . • On Saturday , a suicide car bomb detonated near a private security company in Lashkar Gah city in Helmand province . One person was killed and five were wounded , said Assadullah Sherzad , Helmand provincial police chief . • The U.S.-led Operation Khanjar , or Strike of the Sword , is targeting Taliban militants in Helmand province , near Paktika in southern Afghanistan . Thousands of U.S. Marines and Afghan soldiers are trying to rout the Taliban from strongholds in the Helmand River Valley . The operation began early Thursday . Helmand 's poppy crop produces more than half of the opium cultivated in Afghanistan , the source of 90 percent of the global supply , according to the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime . The revenues help support the Taliban . • On Tuesday , a U.S. soldier was abducted in Paktika province . The Taliban claimed responsibility . A senior U.S. military official later said the soldier was being held by the militant Haqqani clan , a Taliban-affiliated network led by warlord Siraj Haqqani . The Haqqanis -- who operate on both sides of the Afghan and Pakistani borders -- are well-known to the U.S. military , which said it was using all means to locate the soldier , whose name has not been released . CNN 's Atia Abawi and reporter Wahidullah Mayar contributed to this report . | Taliban attacks base in Paktika province ; two U.S. troops killed . Insurgents detonated explosives-laden truck , later launched rockets at base . At least 32 Taliban fighters killed in response to attack . Ten militants killed during assault on a combat outpost in Paktika province . | [[8, 35], [126, 191], [325, 389], [870, 930], [881, 930], [931, 947], [988, 1048], [546, 647], [546, 548], [611, 661], [1350, 1429], [662, 674], [729, 774], [1225, 1244], [1247, 1284]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Typhoon Morakot dumped heavy rain on Taiwan early Saturday and threatened to further soak the recently drought-stricken island . A man fights against strong winds in Hsintien , Taipei county , Taiwan , on Friday . As of 3 a.m. local time , the storm 's eye was over the northern part of the island , CNN forecaster Kevin Corriveau reported , although he noted that slow-moving Morakot is so large it encompassed the entire island . Journalist Andrew Lee in Taipei , citing local media , said the storm had blown off roofs and washed out some bridges . Corriveau said the island has received more than 39 inches -LRB- 99 centimeters -RRB- of rain from the storm , which he said was expected to dump another 39 to 47 inches -LRB- 99 to 119 centimeters -RRB- of rain on Taiwan . The storm made landfall carrying winds of up to 92 mph -LRB- 148 km/h -RRB- , with gusts up to 115 mph -LRB- 185 km/h -RRB- , the Joint Typhoon Warning Center said . iReport.com : See balcony view of heavy rains . Corriveau said the storm was expected to linger over the island for several more hours , and the southern portion of Morakot would likely be passing over Taiwan for hours after that . The storm 's impact had already been felt by Friday morning , with mudslides and landslides occurring on the island . The area has been severely affected by drought in recent months , leaving the ground so hard that it does not absorb the rainfall , Corriveau said . Taiwan 's Central News Agency , acknowledging the drought , cited the Water Resources Agency as saying that the storm had replenished the island 's reservoirs and would put an end to water rationing in several areas . Watch more about the typhoon 's impact '' The storm prompted airlines to cancel flights . Schools and government offices were closed ahead of Morakot 's arrival , according to Taiwan 's Central News Agency . Trading at the Taiwan Stock Exchange was also postponed until Monday , the news agency reported . In China , state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that governments in coastal provinces were readying themselves for the storm and had ordered fishing boats to seek shelter before Thursday night . In Fujian province , about 8.4 million text messages had been sent to citizens warning them to prepare for the typhoon , Xinhua reported . More than 900 people , including Chinese and foreign tourists , have been evacuated from the resort of Nanji Island off east China , the news agency reported . CNN 's Brandon Miller contributed to this report . | Island gets more than 39 inches of rain ; 47 inches more possible . Airlines cancel flights ; schools , government offices , stock exchange closed . More than 900 people evacuated from resort of Nanji Island off east China . | [[571, 679], [665, 679], [696, 794], [1720, 1767], [1739, 1767], [1768, 1838], [1768, 1798], [1841, 1885], [1886, 1954], [2319, 2380], [2383, 2449]] |
UNITED NATIONS -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The United Nations is calling on NATO to do more to stop the Afghan opium trade after a new survey showed how the drug dominates Afghanistan 's economy . Afghan villagers tend to opium poppies in Taliban-controlled Helmand province in April 2007 . The report from the U.N. 's Office on Drugs and Crime shows the export value of this year 's poppy harvest stood at around $ 4 billion , a 29 per cent increase over 2006 . Despite Afghan security forces ' efforts to curb the trade , 660 tons of heroin and morphine were trafficked out of the country in 2007 , the report said . Opium is derived from poppies , and the data on cultivation was collected by examining satellite images and by assessments on the ground . The report said opium has accounted for more than half of Afghanistan 's gross domestic product in 2007 . InvestorWords.com defines GDP as the total market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period of time , usually a calendar year . According to the U.N. survey , about a quarter of the earnings from opium go to farmers . The rest goes to district officials who collect taxes on the crop , to drug traffickers and to the insurgents and warlords who control the trade . Antonio Maria Costa , executive director of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime , urged NATO to take a more active role in countering the spread of the drug trade , which has increased dramatically since the American-led invasion to remove the hard-line Islamist government of the Taliban in October 2001 . `` Since drugs are funding the insurgency , NATO has a self-interest in supporting Afghan forces in destroying drug labs , markets and convoys , '' Costa said in a written statement to coincide with the release of the survey . `` Destroy the drug trade and you cut off the Taliban 's main funding source . '' James Appathurai , a NATO spokesman , said coalition forces were equally concerned by the rapid growth in the narcotics trade . `` We share the U.N. 's concerns , '' Appathurai told CNN . `` Drugs not only poison people , but they poison economies and governments , and it is in everyone 's interest to stop this proliferation . '' He said NATO forces were providing assistance to Afghan police through training and transport but he said there were no plans to deploy coalition troops to intervene directly . `` The issue of whether we can do more is certainly a live discussion for NATO , but at the moment this is a matter for the Afghan government , '' Appathurai said . Farming of opium poppies has been almost eradicated in the north and west of the country , Appathurai said . However , he said , in the lawless southern provinces and especially in the Taliban stronghold of Helmand , poppy production was going on largely unchecked . According to the report , U.N. observers have noticed a proliferation of heroin labs in neighboring countries and along trafficking routes . Costa said the labs are dependent on precursor chemicals , like acetic anhydride , that must be smuggled into the region . He called for tighter controls in chemical-producing countries and stronger intelligence-sharing between Afghanistan and its neighbors . `` Drug trafficking is a transnational threat , and therefore national initiatives have their limitations , '' the U.N. drug chief said . Appathurai said the most effective way to curb the drug trade was tackling the insurgency head-on . He also said it was important to provide alternative work for poor Afghan farmers to encourage them to give up opium production . `` You can not have eradication in isolation . If we do n't give them the support to produce alternative crops , then by wiping out their opium fields , you are only creating enemies for the future , '' he said . E-mail to a friend . | Study finds opium makes up half of Afghanistan 's gross domestic product . Agency pushes NATO forces to attack skyrocketing problem aggressively . Drugs funds insurgency ; poppy trade unchecked in Taliban strongholds . U.N. drug chief advocates providing income alternative for poppy farmers . | [[34, 132], [120, 187], [749, 854], [765, 854], [34, 132], [1260, 1279], [1341, 1421], [1566, 1607], [2678, 2763], [2766, 2815], [3455, 3457], [3463, 3536], [3468, 3470], [3485, 3584]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau , the last two months have been a whirlwind . `` Full of the best moments and the scariest moments of my life , '' says the 24-year-old Olympic swimmer . Eric Shanteau said he felt angry when he found out he had testicular cancer . `` Getting to the Olympics was , has always been , my swimming dream since I was 8 or 9 years old . You know , right after I started swimming it was , ' I want to make an Olympic team . That 's where I want to be ' . '' In June , a week before the qualifying round of the Olympics he was told he had testicular cancer . `` My initial reaction was probably anger more than anything else , '' he says . `` I 'm used to being in control of everything . I 'm in control of how I train , how I race and then to all of a sudden have that control ripped away from me was tough . '' After weeks of tests to determine the `` stage '' or spread of the cancer , Shanteau 's team of doctors cleared him to compete in the Beijing Olympics , which meant carefully monitoring his tumor but delaying treatment . Though putting off the surgery was controversial to some , Eric says it was an educated choice based on numerous doctor evaluations . `` I hope people understand that if I was in a different position with my test results , then I would n't have put off having surgery . '' He swam a personal best in the 200 meter breaststroke . He did not qualify for the finals . Cancer was a motivator , he says , because he knew it meant he could be facing his last competition . He put everything he had into that heat . `` Leave it all in the pool , and I do n't look back and regret anything as far as how I raced . '' Once back from Beijing , Shanteau invited CNN to spend time with him the night before his surgery in Atlanta , Georgia . Though admittedly a little scared , he spent the evening relaxing with his family , cooking dinner , walking the dog . A source of inspiration , he says , were fans who shared their stories of beating cancer . `` They send me their story and it helps me to learn that people are going through the same thing I am all over the world , '' says Shanteau . `` They all affect me in a different way and it 's been really encouraging to share in this experience with other people . '' Testicular cancer will be diagnosed in about 1 in 300 men in their lifetime . It is the most common form of cancer for 15 - to 34-year-olds . It is also one of the most curable if discovered early . Nearly 140,000 men in the United States are testicular cancer survivors . Shanteau says he experienced no symptoms of cancer and came across the tumor by chance . `` I 've been in a Speedo half my life , '' he says . `` So I am really comfortable with my body . One day I just felt something that was n't suppose to be there . I decided to go and get it checked out . '' He adds that although he had the `` greatest excuse in the world '' -- an Olympic dream -- to ignore the lump , he understood the importance of early detection . Shanteau 's father Rick , is battling lung cancer and responding well to treatment . `` A lot of guys , if they hear a rattle in their car , they 're at the mechanic the next day , '' he says . `` But if they feel something -LSB- physically -RSB- that they do n't think should be there , it takes them a year to get to their doctor and that 's just is not smart . There 's really no excuse because it can save your life . '' Fast forward to Shanteau 's recent operation at Emory University Hospital . CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta was with Shanteau during the surgery and spoke with the lead surgeon , Dr. Jeff Carney , moments afterward . `` I think the operation went very well , '' Carney said . `` Eric 's a very healthy young man , very thin , in excellent shape . That makes my job easy . '' Later that week , Shanteau 's pathology results revealed that the operation removed the most of the cancer . `` The majority of it is gone . '' he tells CNN . `` There is a small chance it could come back but I should n't need chemotherapy at this point , so I am really optimistic . '' His treatment plan is to keep a close eye on his health for the next year with regular medical tests . `` Obviously , it would have been nice if the doctor said , ` You 're completely in the clear , ' but my results are exactly what the doctors expected . '' Eric says the cancer diagnosis gave him a different perspective on life . `` I appreciate life much more now , '' he says . `` I do n't let myself get upset about the little nitpicky things anymore . Food even seems to taste better . It is really great . '' As for Shanteau 's swimming career , he plans to compete in the 2009 World Swimming Championship in Rome . `` 2012 -LSB- the next Olympics -RSB- is a push for me . Right now I 'm just kind of taking it year by year and we 'll see what happens . '' | Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau found out about his cancer in June . He delayed treatment so he could compete in the games in Beijing . Testicular cancer will be diagnosed in about 1 in 300 men in their lifetime . He plans to compete in the 2009 World Swimming Championship in Rome . | [[523, 530], [533, 534], [575, 622], [1008, 1028], [1037, 1098], [2308, 2385], [4698, 4767]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Brand new runways are opening at three major airports Thursday , giving the aviation community something to cheer about in a year of dismal economic and travel news . Washington Dulles International Airport 's new runway opens Thursday ahead of the busy holiday travel season . Washington Dulles International Airport will get a fourth runway , its first runway addition since the airport opened in 1962 . Chicago 's O'Hare International Airport 's new runway is part of a massive , multi-billion dollar modernization program . Previously , six of the airport 's seven runways intersected . When the entire project is completed in 2014 , the airport will have eight runways in parallel configurations considered safer and more efficient . Seattle-Tacoma International Airport 's new runway is being especially welcomed because of the region 's notoriously wet climate . The airport 's third runway will allow planes to take off and land two abreast during inclement weather . The current runways are too close to allow simultaneous operations in foul weather . Airport officials claim the new runway will cut delays in half . Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said travelers will benefit from coast to coast . See runways at the three airports '' `` It is going to make a difference , '' Peters said . `` It is going to allow us to conduct more operations , meaning more takeoffs and landings per hour at these airports and will help move passengers efficiently through . `` That , we hope , will give travelers a good experience this holiday season , '' she said . President Bush , this week , touted the arrival of the three new runways , noting that 14 new runways will have opened during his administration . However , aviation experts warn airport infrastructure still lags behind demand , and that real estate realities in the New York area , perceived to be the epicenter of aviation delays , mean that new runways are least likely to be built where they are most needed . Watch what Web sites offer best travel deals '' `` It would really be nice if we had even one new runway '' at each of the nation 's most congested airports , namely LaGuardia , Newark and JFK , '' aviation consultant Darryl Jenkins said . `` It would do an enormous amount to relieve congestion throughout the entire nation . '' iReport.com : What are your holiday travel plans ? Jenkins said new runways in New York are pipe dreams because of land constraints and local opposition . `` Local opposition wins . There 's no opposition that is as tough to beat down as local opposition , '' he said . Chicago O'Hare 's International Airport , which has purchased more than 500 single-family homes to make room for expansion , remains in court battles with several property owners . Aviation experts argue the experience at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia demonstrate that new runways are invaluable to airlines and travelers . A new runway that opened there in 2006 has increased operations by 25 to 30 flights an hour , shaved minutes off average flight delays and saved airlines $ 10 million a week in fuel costs , airport officials said . Air traffic controllers are generally happy with the added concrete they will lord over . `` There 's no greater supporter of runways than controllers , '' said Doug Church , spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association -LRB- NATCA -RRB- . `` It 's reason to shout and celebrate from the rooftops . '' However , the new Dulles airport runway may not be of much benefit at the start . Controller Chris Sutherland , the NATCA representative for the Potomac Consolidated Terminal Radar Approach Control -LRB- TRACON -RRB- , explained that because only one taxiway has been completed , planes that land heading north must roll to a stop , turn around and taxi more than a mile and a half to the taxiway , costing the airlines both time and money . `` Bottom line , the users are going to fight us tooth and nail if we try to land them on that runway out there , '' Sutherland said . The airport also does not have the technology necessary to use all three parallel runways in inclement weather , he said . `` We 're actually creating delays with additional new concrete and that 's kind of going against why we built it in the first place , '' Sutherland said . An airport official and Department of Transportation officials said Washington-Dulles International Airport must open the new runway before it can close the center runway and complete work on the remaining taxiways . Work is scheduled for the spring . Jenkins jokingly said new runways inevitably come on line precisely when they are not needed , but he said airline delays are here to stay . `` There 's every reason to believe that until we 're all comfortably dead , we will all enjoy delays in air traffic , '' Jenkins said . | New airport runways open Thursday in Seattle , Chicago and Washington . Officials say new runways will make airports safer , more efficient . However , aviation experts caution airport infrastructure still lags behind demand . | [[0, 26], [30, 92], [197, 307], [621, 665], [668, 679], [690, 768], [1091, 1155], [1756, 1825]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At 33 , Joe Sullivan is serving a life term without the possibility of parole in a Florida prison while confined to a wheelchair . Joe Sullivan , now 33 , was convicted of burglary and rape when he was 13 . He is serving a life sentence without parole . The crime for which he was convicted was brutal : burglary and the rape of a 72-year-old woman in Pensacola . The man 's lawyers say the punishment was equally harsh , particularly for someone with Sullivan 's circumstances . He was 13 at the time , and is one of only two people his age in the world , say his supporters , tried as an adult and sentenced to `` die in prison '' for a crime that was n't a homicide . Now the Supreme Court is being asked to decide whether that sentence was cruel and unusual punishment for someone who was barely a teenager at the time of his crime . The justices are scheduled to announce Monday whether they will accept the case for review . If they do , oral arguments would be held in the fall . If the review is rejected , Sullivan would have few legal options remaining to reduce his sentence . His lawyers are also fighting to get him a new trial . Outside a death-penalty context , the high court has offered little recent guidance on how to treat the youngest of underage criminal defendants . The appellate record for rapists under age 15 is almost nonexistent , say legal experts consulted by CNN . Child legal advocates say many states lack adequate resources to handle young inmates given long sentences , including a lack of proper jailhouse counseling . Few studies have been conducted on the psychological effects on young defendants facing life in prison , said the Equal Justice Institute , which is representing Sullivan in the high court case . `` We have created a forgotten population with a lot of needs , '' said Bryan Stevenson , Sullivan 's lawyer . The crime happened in 1989 , when Sullivan later admitted he and two friends ransacked a home in West Pensacola . But he denied the prosecutor 's claim he returned with a knife and sexually assaulted the elderly homeowner . An older co-defendant claimed Sullivan was the rapist . According to the trial record , the victim testified the assailant was a youngster with `` kinky hair and he was quite black and he was small . '' She could not recognize Sullivan by his facial features , but the defendant was made to repeat at trial what he allegedly told the woman : `` If you ca n't identify me , I may not have to kill you . '' The victim testified , `` It 's been six months , it 's hard , but it does sound similar . '' After a daylong trial , Escambia County circuit court Judge Nicholas Geeker sentenced Sullivan to life without parole . `` I am going to try to send him away for as long as I can , he is beyond help , '' the judge told the boy . `` The juvenile system has been utterly incapable of doing anything with Mr. Sullivan . '' Sullivan had a lengthy juvenile record , but continues to deny the attack . At the time , state prosecutor Larry Kaden , who retired last month , said , `` It was a brutal crime and he had an extensive record . This was a bad , bad crime . '' The Florida Attorney General 's office told the high court that prosecutors should have the discretion they have long been given to decide how harshly young criminal should be prosecuted . Sexual battery remains a crime punishable by life imprisonment in Florida . A study by the Equal Justice Institute found eight prisoners serving life terms for crimes committed at 13 , all in the United States . Besides Sullivan , Florida inmate Ian Manuel is in a similar situation . He was 13 when convicted of attempted murder and robbery in 1990 and will not get out of prison . The Justice Department reports no 13-year-old has been given life without parole for crime that was n't a homicide in a decade . And while about a thousand people every year under 15 are arrested for rape , none have been given life without parole since Sullivan . Only a handful of states -- including Alaska , Colorado , Kansas , New Mexico and Oregon -- prohibit sentencing minors to life without a chance for parole , according to the National Conference of State Legislatures . Equal Justice Institute says 19 states have laws allowing the possibility of life without parole for those under age 14 . The high court in April 2008 refused to hear the case of a South Carolina boy who was 12 when he murdered his grandparents and was given a 30-year sentence , the maximum allowed under state law . Tried as an adult , Christopher Pittman 's lawyers had argued the sentence was excessive , and that heavy doses of antidepressants the boy was taking at the time sent his mind spinning out off control . While disappointed , Pittman 's attorney Michelle Deitch speculated the justices may `` have recognized the growing national trend against sentencing young children to harsh mandatory terms in prison , and wants to give state legislatures the opportunity to correct this problem before it rules again on the issue . '' Sullivan 's attorneys hope the high court is ready to revisit the issue . The Supreme Court in 2005 banned the death penalty for underage killers . The justices in that case cited evolving `` national standards '' as a reason to ban such executions . `` When a juvenile commits a heinous crime , the state can exact a forfeiture of some of the most basic liberties , '' wrote Justice Anthony Kennedy at the time . `` But the state can not extinguish his life and his potential to attain a mature understanding of his own humanity . '' Sullivan is in deteriorating health from multiple sclerosis and confined to `` close management '' for dangerous or trouble-prone inmates , say state corrections officials . His lawyers admit he has had more than a 100 incidents of fighting and threatening inmates and guards , and having contraband and weapons , but say Sullivan is the victim of bullying by other prisoners and is mentally disabled . `` It 's important for the criminal justice system to recognize that inmates like Joe -LSB- Sullivan -RSB- are going to change , biologically , psychologically and emotionally as they grow up in prison , '' said Stevenson . `` We should not assume it is a change for the worse . '' Sullivan 's appellate team places much of the blame on his original trial attorney , who presented no opening statement and only brief closing remarks . No DNA results were offered and the state destroyed the biological evidence in 1993 . `` It was absolutely outrageous , '' said Stevenson . The trial lawyer was later suspended from practicing law . The thrust of their argument before the high court is not that Sullivan is innocent , nor that he seeks his freedom now , just that he deserves to someday make his case before the state parole board . | Convicted for a crime committed at 13 , Joe Sullivan appeals to Supreme Court . He is serving life without parole for burglary and the rape of a 72-year-old woman . Defense attorneys say punishment for Sullivan , now 33 , was too harsh . The Supreme Court is expected to decide Monday if it will hear the case . | [[510, 531], [807, 814], [819, 867], [3653, 3717], [38, 73], [237, 283], [510, 512], [630, 674], [394, 509], [4572, 4640], [868, 926], [868, 880], [895, 960]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ryan Alexander Jenkins , a reality TV contestant suspected in his wife 's slaying , was found hanging from a coat rack in a motel room in an apparent suicide , according to Canadian officials . Police were hunting for Ryan Alexander Jenkins after the death of Jasmine Fiore . Staff at a motel in Hope , British Columbia , found Jenkins dead , officials said . `` It was a man hanging by a belt from a coat rack , '' Kevin Walker , the manager of the budget Thunderbird Motel , told CNN affiliate CTV on Sunday . Walker said a woman , about 20 to 25 years old , dropped off Jenkins at the motel on Friday in a silver Chrysler PT Cruiser with Alberta tags . Police have not been able to identify the woman . Watch how suspect found in hotel '' Earlier Sunday , Canadian authorities said they had credible information that Jenkins was in Canada and called on him to turn himself in . He was believed to be armed and dangerous . Watch what led police to hotel room '' The nude body of Jenkins ' wife , former swimsuit model Jasmine Fiore , was found last weekend in Orange County , California . CNN has not confirmed reports that the marriage was annulled . Fiore 's body was found last Saturday in a Dumpster behind an apartment complex in Buena Park , just outside Anaheim , California . Her teeth had been extracted and fingers removed in what police said was an apparent attempt to conceal her identity . Law enforcement sources have told CNN that Fiore was identified through the serial numbers on her breast implants . Fiore lived in Los Angeles and was last seen alive in San Diego at a poker game with Jenkins , the night before the body was found . Jenkins reported Fiore missing last Saturday night to the Los Angeles County Sheriff 's Department , authorities said . The body was identified Monday as Fiore . While the cause of death had not been confirmed , a preliminary coroner 's report indicated she was strangled . According to court records in Las Vegas , Nevada , Jenkins was charged in June with battery for allegedly striking Fiore in the arm with his fist . And in 2007 , Jenkins pleaded guilty in Calgary , Alberta , Canada to assault in a separate case . He was sentenced to 15 months probation , ordered to undergo counseling for domestic violence and sex addiction and to stay away from the person involved , according to court records . Jenkins , who appeared on the VH1 show `` Megan Wants a Millionaire , '' is from Calgary . 51Minds , which produced `` Megan Wants a Millionaire , '' said Thursday in a written statement that it `` was not aware of Ryan Jenkins ' record when it cast him . `` The company did have in place what it thought was a thorough vetting process that involved complete background checks by an outside company for all contestants on its shows , '' it said . `` Clearly , the process did not work properly in this case . 51 Minds is investigating what went wrong and taking steps to ensure that this sort of lapse never occurs again . '' CNN 's Paul Vercammen contributed to this report . | Body of Ryan Jenkins found hanged in British Columbia hotel , police say . Authorities say preliminary evidence points to suicide . Body of Jasmine Fiore , 28 , found stuffed into a suitcase inside a dumpster . Her teeth were extracted , fingers removed , making it harder to identify body . | [[1173, 1234], [675, 724], [1305, 1333], [1338, 1397]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will reunite on stage next month to raise money to teach transcendental meditation to children around the world to `` help provide them a quiet haven in a not-so-quiet world , '' McCartney said . Paul McCartney -LRB- above -RRB- and Ringo Starr are teaming up for a fund-raising concert . The star-studded list of performers who will join them include two musicians who were with the Beatles when they journeyed to India 's Himalayan foothills in 1968 to learn transcendental meditation from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi . `` In moments of madness , it has helped me find moments of serenity , '' McCartney said in the concert announcement . Profits from the April 4 show at New York 's Radio City Music Hall will fund the David Lynch Foundation 's program , which has already taught 60,000 children around the world how to meditate , foundation spokesman Steve Yellin said . The goal of the project -- which is called `` Change Begins Within '' -- is to teach the meditation technique to a million at-risk children so they have `` life-long tools to overcome stress and violence and promote peace and success in their lives , '' Yellin said . Schools across the United States have asked the group to bring the classes to their students , he said . `` I would like to think that it would help provide them a quiet haven in a not-so-quiet world , '' McCartney said . Singer-songwriter Donovan and musician Paul Horn , who studied at the Maharishi 's ashram with the four Beatles , will also perform in the show . `` How great to be playing with Paul , Ringo , and Paul Horn again -- as we did in India in 1968 , '' Donovan said . `` It 's a real reunion after 40 years of Donovan , Paul Horn , Ringo and Paul McCartney , '' Yellin said . `` It 's quite an interesting thing that they are still talking about transcendental meditation . '' Ringo left the ashram after just 10 days -- explaining the food was too spicy for his taste -- and McCartney stayed for six weeks , according to journalist Lewis Lapham in his book `` With the Beatles . '' McCartney and John Lennon wrote many of the songs for the Beatles ' White Album while there , but the group disbanded within two years . The list of performers also includes Sheryl Crow , Eddie Vedder , Ben Harper , Moby , Bettye LaVette and Jim James . Tickets go on sale Monday , March 9 , through Ticketmaster . | Paul McCartney , Ringo Starr participating in fund-raising concert . Show to benefit David Lynch Foundation program teaching meditation to kids . Also on the bill : Donovan , Paul Horn , Sheryl Crow , Eddie Vedder . | [[261, 353], [329, 335], [336, 353], [0, 15], [98, 176], [107, 182], [329, 335], [336, 353], [700, 724], [751, 814], [777, 814], [827, 874], [1424, 1472], [1538, 1569], [2239, 2261], [2267, 2355]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World-record signing Cristiano Ronaldo scored on his debut as Real Madrid kicked off the Spanish football season with a shaky 3-2 victory at home to Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday night . Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after paying off a small chunk of his record transfer fee with a goal on his Real debut . Real 's new generation of `` Galacticos '' were preceded onto the pitch by the world 's fastest man Usain Bolt , with the Jamaican sprint star dribbling a ball to the delight of a packed Bernabeu crowd . Coach Manuel Pellegrini fielded seven new signings against a team who stunned Real 2-1 on the opening day last season to foreshadow a season of massive upheaval for the underachieving capital club . The first goal took just 26 minutes in coming as $ 92 million signing Kaka fed the ball to $ 50 million capture Karim Benzema , whose shot rebounded off the post and fell welcomingly to Real captain Raul to score . Ronaldo , who cost $ 130 million when he left Manchester United , then rose highest to meet a free-kick from $ 50 million midfielder Xavi Alonso but headed over the bar . Deportivo stunned the home crowd in the 30th minute when former Real striker Riki was allowed a free header to equalize in the type of defensive lapse that typified Madrid 's performances last season . But while Pellegrini has obvious problems to sort out at the back , where he fielded debutants Ezequiel Garay and Raul Albiol in the absence of the suspended Pepe , he has volumes of attacking resources at the other end of the pitch . His team took the lead again in the 34th minute through Ronaldo , who coolly slotted home from the penalty spot after Raul went down under goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubia 's challenge following a clever pass from midfielder Lassana Diarra . However , Real could not hold onto the lead , with veteran Juan Carlos Valeron firing a leveler from the edge of the area just 43 seconds into the second half following a cross by Andres Guardado . Valeron should have made it 3-2 with an even easier chance 12 minutes later , but he sidefooted another pass from Guardado wide of the Real goal . Real continued to pile forward in numbers , peppering the Deportivo goal , but it was the unexpected figure of Diarra who netted the eventual winner in the 60th minute with a low drive from outside the box . Benzema should have doubled the lead soon after following a mistake by Aranzubia , but saw his chip over the keeper rebound off the bar . The Frenchman made way for last season 's top scorer Higuain in the 72nd minute , with the Argentine lucky to avoid being booked for a blatant dive in the penalty area . Real 's rivals Barcelona start the defense of their title on Monday at home to Sporting Gijon , having already won a trophy this season by beating Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 in the European Super Cup on Friday . | World-record signing Cristiano Ronaldo scores on his debut for Real Madrid . Real kick off the Spanish football season with a 3-2 win at home to Deportivo . Raul scores opening goal and Ronaldo 's first-half penalty makes it 2-1 . Juan Carlos Valeron levels for visitors before Lassana Diarra 's 60th-minute winner . | [[0, 15], [40, 207], [208, 326], [0, 15], [40, 207], [1553, 1616], [1841, 1927], [2246, 2252], [2257, 2342]] |
CAIRO , Egypt -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Suzanne Hagelof and Iris Botros dreamed of adopting babies . Separately , they visited orphanages in Egypt . Hagelof adopted a child , and Botros was in the process of adopting twins , when they ran foul of authorities . Now they are in jail , accused of being part of a conspiracy to traffic children . Iris Botros and her husband , Luis Andros , are accused of trying to smuggle twins out of Egypt . Last week , the two women were led into a Cairo courtroom in handcuffs , along with six other people . They stood in a big black cage in the courtroom , looking apprehensive amid the hubbub . To their defenders , all they were trying to do was provide orphans with a better chance in life . To the prosecution , they were involved in forging documents to try to adopt children illegally and smuggle them out of the country . Along with the two American women , the accused include their husbands , two doctors , a nun who ran an orphanage , and an Egyptian banker . Watch the women get bundled into court '' A year ago , Hagelof , a U.S. citizen who lives in Egypt with her husband , adopted a child from an orphanage run by the Coptic Christian Church , a religious minority in Egypt . She says no money changed hands . Several months later , Luis Andros , a U.S. citizen who is originally from Greece , and his wife , Iris Botros , left their restaurant business in North Carolina for Egypt . Botros , who is originally from Egypt , visited another orphanage run by the church . She paid the orphanage about $ 4,600 for the twins -- partly for clothes and partly as a donation . Both women wanted to take the children to the United States -- in Hagelof 's case for a visit , but in Botros ' case to begin a new life in Wake Forest , North Carolina . And that 's where the trouble began . To get a visa for the children , both women went to the U.S. Embassy in Cairo . According to their attorneys , the documents they presented included birth certificates and certificates signed by doctors stating they were the natural mothers . According to defense attorneys , the two women knew they were using forged documents . Embassy officials became suspicious of the documents -- partly because the women seemed too old to be the mothers . Both Hagelof and Botros are in their mid - to late forties . The embassy contacted Egyptian authorities , and both Hagelof and Botros -- along with their husbands -- were arrested soon afterward , as was a nun from a Coptic orphanage and a banker who allegedly helped Botros make contact with the nun . Also arrested were two doctors who had written the certificates for the three infants , all of whom are now at an orphanage not affiliated with the church . Neither the U.S. Embassy nor the U.S. State Department will comment on the case , citing the ongoing trial . Botros ' husband , Andros , blames the embassy for their plight . Asked through the bars of the courtroom cage what had happened , he replied , `` Well , our American Embassy , instead of helping the people , they put them in jail . '' His wife interjected , insisting they would not get a fair trial . A few feet away , Suzanne Hagelof called out , `` We want to tell our story , '' while her husband , Medhat , looked on , quiet and dejected . As reporters tried to talk to the defendants , a guard intervened , shouting `` Sit down , sit down . '' Adoption has long been illegal under Egyptian law as well as being forbidden under sharia , Muslim religious law . Fostering is legal but uncommon . It has become a high-profile issue since Suzanne Mubarak , wife of the president , embarked on a campaign to stamp out human trafficking . She recently told CNN that human trafficking `` exists in all societies . '' `` I came to realize what an insidious crime this was and how it was just really built on profit . On not only low morals , on no morals at all , '' she said . And that 's how the prosecution seems to be framing this case , using a law passed last year that provides for tough penalties for human trafficking . Khalil Adil El Hamani , the attorney representing Hagelof , says Egyptian authorities want to prove that all the defendants are from one gang and are trafficking children , so as to make the case seem to be a giant conspiracy . Both couples insist they had no idea what they were doing was illegal and have no link with human trafficking . The attorney representing Botros and her husband says their only crime was to dream of being parents . `` They are now are in jail because of this dream , '' he told CNN after the first hearing in the case a week ago . `` They never thought that they will be in jail . They thought that they are going to adopt only . They did n't think they are making something against the law in Egypt . '' All eight defendants remain in jail -- the men at the Tora prison in Cairo , well known for its overcrowding . The next stage of the trial takes place May 16 , and proceedings could last six to eight months . If they are convicted , the accused could each face up to 10 years in prison . | Women adopted children from orphanage run by Coptic Christian Church . Alert was raised when they sought visas for children at U.S. Embassy in Cairo . The women now face human-smuggling trial in Egypt , where adoption is illegal . | [[1043, 1053], [1056, 1063], [1119, 1152], [2685, 2697], [2702, 2730], [1858, 1904], [254, 257], [277, 336], [337, 364], [372, 434], [3391, 3440]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Around 204,000 people have fled their homes in the Somali capital of Mogadishu as a result of a militant offensive against government forces , the U.N. refugee agency said on Tuesday . Islamist fighters exchange gunfire with government forces in Mogadishu on July 3 . The eight-week long push by Al-Shaabab and Hisb-ul-Islam militias has prompted what the agency calls `` the biggest exodus from the troubled Somali capital since the Ethiopian intervention in 2007 . '' `` The escalating conflict in Mogadishu is having a devastating impact on the city 's population causing enormous suffering and massive displacement , '' the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said . The agency said its local partners in the capital reported that fighting over the past week `` has killed some 105 people and injured 382 . '' `` Neighborhoods affected by the fighting include Kaaran , Shibis , Shangaani and Boondheere in North Mogadishu . These areas have hitherto been islands of peace , escaping much of the conflict and destruction . Many residents are fleeing their homes for the first time since the start of the Somali civil war in 1991 , '' the agency said . The agency said the number of internally displaced people in Somalia amounts to more than 1.2 million people . There has been growing concern that Somalia , in the Horn of Africa , could be the next base for al Qaeda as U.S. forces pound their positions in Afghanistan and Pakistan . Last month , a U.S. State Department spokesman said the United States is providing weapons and ammunition to Somalia 's transitional government as it fights al Qaeda-linked Islamist militants . CIA Director Leon Panetta recently said that the intelligence agency is keeping tabs on the region as a possible destination for fleeing al Qaeda operatives . `` Our concern right now is that likely safe havens are areas in the Horn of Africa , like Somalia and Yemen , that are countries that because of their political status can be attractive to al Qaeda in order to operate there , '' Panetta said earlier this month . Al-Shaabab , also known as the Mujahideen Youth Movement , was officially designated as a terrorist organization by the United States in March 2008 . It is waging a war against Somalia 's government in an effort to implement a stricter form of Islamic law . | Eight-week long push by Al-Shaabab and Hisb-ul-Islam militias prompted exodus . U.N. : Conflict in Mogadishu having devastating impact on city 's population . More than 1.2 million people internally displaced in Somalia , U.N. estimates . Many fleeing their homes for first time since start of Somali civil war in 1991 . | [[0, 15], [19, 159], [287, 485], [489, 585], [563, 637], [1174, 1284], [1190, 1284], [287, 485], [1045, 1150]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mexican authorities on Saturday arrested four men in connection with last week 's shooting death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent in San Diego County , California , Mexico 's state-run news agency Notimex reported . U.S. Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas was fatally shot Thursday night in California , U.S. authorities said . Mexican federal police identified the men as human smugglers , and said they were in the act of transporting 21 immigrants when they were detained in the northwest state of Baja California , Notimex said . At a news conference , federal police identified two of the suspects as brothers Jose Eugenio Quintero Ruiz , 49 , and Jose Evodio Quintero Ruiz , 43 . The other two arrestees were taxi drivers Antonio Badallares Zepeda , 57 and Jose Alfredo Camacho Penuela , 34 , Notimex reported . Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas was shot and killed Thursday night while responding to a potential incursion into the United States in the Campo area in San Diego County , U.S. authorities said . The Mexican federal police did not offer specific evidence of the suspects ' role in the killing , but said intelligence reports indicated the group was responsible for kidnappings , rapes and murders of several people who tried to cross to the United States , Notimex said . The men were wanted by American authorities , police said . Notimex said that during his interrogation , Jose Eugenio Quintero told investigators the shooter was Ernesto Parra Valenzuela , a man arrested the day before by local police in Tecate , Mexico . Rosas , who is survived by his wife and two young children , had been a border agent for three years . Rosas was the ninth Border Patrol agent to be killed while on duty since 2006 , according to the agency 's Web site . Two agents died in a vehicle wreck in 2006 , and four died in 2007 , including two who died in vehicle wrecks , a third who drowned and a fourth who suffered a heart attack while pursuing undocumented immigrants . Two agents died on duty last year , the Border Patrol said . One died in a single-vehicle wreck ; another was struck and killed by a vehicle driven by a suspected smuggler , according to the agency 's Web site . | Mexican news agency : Four arrested in connection with U.S. agent 's death . U.S. Border Patrol agent Robert Rosas gunned down Thursday in California . Mexican police say suspects are smugglers of humans . News agency : Suspect says fifth man -- arrested earlier -- was shooter . | [[0, 15], [51, 165], [181, 231], [0, 15], [51, 165], [232, 315], [832, 873], [832, 864], [878, 1002], [342, 402], [1494, 1549]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau , the last two months have been a whirlwind . `` Full of the best moments and the scariest moments of my life , '' says the 24-year-old Olympic swimmer . Eric Shanteau said he felt angry when he found out he had testicular cancer . `` Getting to the Olympics was , has always been , my swimming dream since I was 8 or 9 years old . You know , right after I started swimming it was , ' I want to make an Olympic team . That 's where I want to be ' . '' In June , a week before the qualifying round of the Olympics he was told he had testicular cancer . `` My initial reaction was probably anger more than anything else , '' he says . `` I 'm used to being in control of everything . I 'm in control of how I train , how I race and then to all of a sudden have that control ripped away from me was tough . '' After weeks of tests to determine the `` stage '' or spread of the cancer , Shanteau 's team of doctors cleared him to compete in the Beijing Olympics , which meant carefully monitoring his tumor but delaying treatment . Though putting off the surgery was controversial to some , Eric says it was an educated choice based on numerous doctor evaluations . `` I hope people understand that if I was in a different position with my test results , then I would n't have put off having surgery . '' Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports from Eric Shanteau 's surgery '' He swam a personal best in the 200 meter breaststroke . He did not qualify for the finals . Cancer was a motivator , he says , because he knew it meant he could be facing his last competition . He put everything he had into that heat . `` Leave it all in the pool , and I do n't look back and regret anything as far as how I raced . '' Once back from Beijing , Shanteau invited CNN to spend time with him the night before his surgery in Atlanta , Georgia . Though admittedly a little scared , he spent the evening relaxing with his family , cooking dinner , walking the dog . A source of inspiration , he says , were fans who shared their stories of beating cancer . `` They send me their story and it helps me to learn that people are going through the same thing I am all over the world , '' says Shanteau . `` They all affect me in a different way and it 's been really encouraging to share in this experience with other people . '' Testicular cancer is diagnosed in about 1 in 300 men in their lifetime . It is the most common form of cancer for 15 - to 34-year-olds . It is also one of the most curable if discovered early . Nearly 140,000 men in the United States are testicular cancer survivors . Shanteau says he experienced no symptoms of cancer and came across the tumor by chance . `` I 've been in a Speedo half my life , '' he says . `` So I am really comfortable with my body . One day I just felt something that was n't suppose to be there . I decided to go and get it checked out . '' He adds that although he had the `` greatest excuse in the world '' -- an Olympic dream -- to ignore the lump , he understood the importance of early detection . Shanteau 's father Rick , is battling lung cancer and responding well to treatment . `` A lot of guys , if they hear a rattle in their car , they 're at the mechanic the next day , '' he says . `` But if they feel something -LSB- physically -RSB- that they do n't think should be there , it takes them a year to get to their doctor and that just is not smart . There 's really no excuse , because it can save your life . '' Fast forward to Shanteau 's recent operation at Emory University Hospital . CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta was with Shanteau during the surgery and spoke with the lead surgeon , Dr. Jeff Carney , moments afterward . `` I think the operation went very well , '' Carney said . `` Eric 's a very healthy young man , very thin , in excellent shape . That makes my job easy . '' Later that week , Shanteau 's pathology results revealed that the operation removed the most of the cancer . `` The majority of it is gone . '' he tells CNN . `` There is a small chance it could come back but I should n't need chemotherapy at this point , so I am really optimistic . '' His treatment plan is to keep a close eye on his health for the next year with regular medical tests . `` Obviously , it would have been nice if the doctor said , ` You 're completely in the clear , ' but my results are exactly what the doctors expected . '' Eric says the cancer diagnosis gave him a different perspective on life . `` I appreciate life much more now , '' he says . `` I do n't let myself get upset about the little nitpicky things anymore . Food even seems to taste better . It is really great . '' As for Shanteau 's swimming career , he plans to compete in the 2009 World Swimming Championship in Rome , Italy . `` 2012 -LSB- the next Olympics -RSB- is a push for me . Right now I 'm just kind of taking it year by year and we 'll see what happens . '' | Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau found out about his cancer in June . He delayed treatment so he could compete in the games in Beijing . He plans to compete in the 2009 World Swimming Championship in Rome . Testicular cancer is diagnosed in about 1 in 300 men in their lifetime . | [[523, 530], [533, 534], [575, 622], [1008, 1028], [1037, 1098], [4750, 4817], [2366, 2438]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Organization of American States suspended Honduras late Saturday because the nation 's new leaders refused to reinstate ousted President Jose Manuel Zelaya . Ousted Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya appears Tuesday at the U.N. General Assembly . Zelaya was removed by the military on June 28 and flown to Costa Rica . Congressional leader Roberto Micheletti was sworn in as provisional president later that day . The OAS set a Saturday deadline for Honduras to return Zelaya to power or be suspended from the 35-nation hemispheric organization . Honduran officials told OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza on Friday that they would not allow Zelaya to return to power . Thousands of protesters demanding the return to power of ousted Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya pushed through riot police at Tegucigalpa 's airport and surrounded the terminal Saturday , but there were no reports of violence . The airport continued to operate , CNN Correspondent Karl Penhaul reported . Zelaya , a leftist who took office in 2006 , says he will return to Honduras on Sunday . Micheletti has vowed to have Zelaya arrested if he returns . `` I am simply defending a system , '' Zelaya told the OAS delegates early Sunday , after the 33-0 vote to suspend Honduras . Among the delegates were two heads of state : Presidents Christina Fernandez de Kirchner of Argentina and Fernando Lugo of Paraguay . `` I am here not only as president of the republic of Argentina , but also as part of a delegation who was the object of coups in Argentina , '' Fernandez said . Lugo also spoke in favor of restoring Zelaya and democracy to his nation . `` I come from Paraguay , a country that has had the long night of dictatorships , '' Lugo said . `` I come here with a pain , but also with a hope . '' Micheletti repeated in an interview with CNN en Español on Saturday night that a coup did not take place . What happened , he said , was a constitutional transfer of power authorized by the nation 's congress . But Micheletti is swimming against world opinion . The U.N. General Assembly condemned the coup last week and demanded that Zelaya be reinstated . The European Union and other nations have recalled their ambassadors from Honduras , and the United States and the World Bank have suspended some aid . Honduran officials have said the Central American nation was prepared to withdraw from the OAS rather than reinstate Zelaya . `` If the Organization of American States does n't deem Honduras worthy of membership of the Organization of American States , then Honduras would renounce with immediate effect the inter-American charter , '' said Deputy Foreign Minister Marta Lorena Alvarado . At the center of the dispute was a referendum Zelaya had vowed to carry out even after the country 's supreme court and congress found it illegal . The nonbinding referendum could have led to the creation of a constitutional assembly to modify the country 's charter to allow the president to run for re-election . Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez , a Zelaya ally , won a similar referendum this year , and many Hondurans thought Zelaya was trying to maneuver a way to seek re-election in November . Zelaya has denied that was his intent . Zelaya narrowly won the presidency in 2005 , with 49.8 percent of the vote to 46.1 percent for Porfirio `` Pepe '' Lobo . After 18 years of nearly uninterrupted military rule , Honduras returned to civilian control in 1981 . Since then , the military has not seemed interested in holding power in the nation of more than 7 million people , about 70 percent of whom live in poverty . Military interventions were once common in Latin America , but civilian governments have held sway since the 1980s . Before Sunday , the only other barracks revolt this decade was an unsuccessful 2002 coup attempt against Chavez , when the military displaced him but backed down days later and allowed his reinstatement . CNN 's Tom Watkins contributed to this report . | Organization of American States suspend Honduras in wake of coup . Thousands of supporters at airport for return of ousted president Jose Zelaya . Organization of American States wants Zelaya restored to power . Newly installed president says Jose Zelaya will be arrested upon return . | [[1114, 1161], [1114, 1124], [1135, 1174]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The earthquake in Sichuan , southwestern China , last May left around 69,000 people dead and 15 million people displaced . Now ecologists have assessed the earthquake 's impact on biodiversity and the habitat for some of the last existing wild giant pandas . Giant pandas are more endangered than ever since the 2008 Sichuan earthquake . According to the report published in `` Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment '' , 23 percent of the pandas ' habitat in the study area was destroyed , and fragmentation of the remaining habitat could hinder panda reproduction . The Sichuan region is designated as a global hotspot for biodiversity , according to Conservation International . Home to more than 12,000 species of plants and 1,122 species of vertebrates , the area includes more than half of the habitat for the Earth 's wild giant panda population , said study lead author Weihua Xu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing . `` We estimate that above 60 percent of the wild giant panda population was affected to some extent by the earthquake , '' said Xu in the report . In an effort to develop conservation strategies for the panda 's remaining habitat , Xu and his colleagues used satellite imagery to determine the pandas ' habitat loss and fragmentation in the South Minshan region , which is adjacent to the earthquake 's epicenter . Since forests are the main vegetation type used by the pandas , the authors compared forested areas in satellite images from September 2007 , before the earthquake , to images after the earthquake and its aftershocks , in July 2008 . The authors then combined results based on these satellite data with criteria that make forests suitable for pandas , including elevation , slope incline and presence of bamboo . Their analyses revealed that more than 354 square kilometers , or about 23 percent , of the pandas ' habitat was converted to bare land . Of the remaining habitat , the researchers found that large habitat areas had been fragmented into smaller , disconnected patches , which Xu says can be just as harmful as habitat destruction . `` It is probable that habitat fragmentation has separated the giant panda population inhabiting this region , which could be as low as 35 individuals , '' said Xu . `` This kind of isolation increases their risk of extinction in the wild , due in part to a higher likelihood of inbreeding . '' Xu and his colleagues proposed a plan to encourage pandas to move between patches using specially protected corridors . They also recommend areas to be protected outside of nature reserves and that post-earthquake relocation of affected towns takes panda habitat into consideration . `` It is vital to the survival of this species that measures are taken to protect panda habitat outside nature reserves , '' said Xu . `` Giant pandas in this region are more vulnerable than ever to human disturbance , including post-earthquake reconstruction and tourism . When coupled with these increasing human activities , natural disasters create unprecedented challenges for biodiversity conservation . '' | New report on affect of 2008 Sichuan earthquake on wild giant panda population . Report : 23 percent of habitat has disappeared ; 60 percent of giant pandas affected . Estimates that wild panda population in affected region could be as low as 35 . | [[142, 277], [142, 277], [443, 509], [781, 873], [957, 1074], [1785, 1922], [1814, 1922], [2176, 2267]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Manchester United came a goal behind and shrugged off the early loss of Michael Owen to injury to beat German champions Wolfsburg 2-1 for their second victory in Champions League Group B. Giggis is congratulated by teammates after scoring his 150th goal for United . Owen , looking to impress watching England manager Fabio Capello , survived for just 20 minutes at Old Trafford before going off with a groin strain . His replacement Dimitar Berbatov proved highly effective but the enterprising visitors went ahead through a Edin Dzeko header in the 56th minute . Ryan Giggs equalized just three minutes later with his 150th goal for the Red Devils , his deflected shot finding its way home . The evergreen Giggs then set up Michael Carrick for the 76th minute winner as he curled home his shot from the edge of the penalty area . United manager Alex Ferguson paid his own compliment to the Welsh wizard as he reflected on a hard-fought home victory . `` He 's unbelievable , all the infinitives , all the praise over the years , I do n't know if you can add to it . He 's a marvellous player . '' Ferguson also revealed that Owen would be out for between two to three weeks with his latest injury . The three points leave United top of the group with two wins from two games after their eighth victory in a row in all competitions . In the other Group B action on Wednesday , CSKA Moscow bounced back from their 2-1 defeat to Wolfsburg in the first round of matches to see off Turkish champions Besiktas 2-1 . Midfielders Alan Dzagoev and Milos Krasic scored for the hosts either side of half time , with Besiktas , beaten in their first two games , pulling a goal back thorugh Ismail Koybasi . In Group A , the heavyweight clash between Bayern Munich and Juventus ended in a goalless draw . Munich had several chances in their home Allianz Arena , but failed to convert them although they do top the group with four points . French champions Bordeaux are in second place on three points after a 1-0 home win over Israeli counterparts Maccabi Haifa . Having drawn with Juventus in their group opener , Laurent Blanc 's men had wait until the 83rd minute for a vital breakthrough as Michael Ciani headed home from Gregory Sertic 's corner . Juventus are third in the group after two draws , with Maccabi bottom after drawing blank . | Manchester United beat VfL Wolfsburg 2-1 in Champions League Group B . Michael Carrick scores winner after Ryan Giggs equalizes for Red Devils . Bayern and Juventus draw 0-0 in Group A clash in Munich . | [[104, 162], [114, 203], [1716, 1726], [1729, 1812], [2072, 2120]] |
LEONE , American Samoa -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Another earthquake struck Wednesday near the Samoan islands , an area already devastated by earthquake and tsunami damage which killed more than 130 people . A traditional Samoan fale is destroyed Wednesday in the devastated village of Leone . The 5.5-magnitude earthquake occurred at 6:13 p.m. Wednesday evening -LRB- 1:13 a.m. Thursday ET -RRB- , according to the U.S. Geological Survey . The quake 's epicenter was 10 km -LRB- 6 miles -RRB- deep in the Pacific Ocean about 121 miles -LRB- 194 km -RRB- from the city of Apia , Samoa . The quake did not trigger a tsunami warning , according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center . It followed an 8.0-magnitude earthquake which hit the small cluster of Samoan islands early Tuesday triggering a tsunami . At least 139 people are confirmed dead as a consequence of Tuesday 's quake and tsunami . They include 22 people killed in American Samoa , 110 in Samoa and seven in Tonga , according to officials on the islands . A huge emergency effort was continuing late Wednesday in the Samoan islands and officials warned that the death toll could rise as rescue workers start to reach outlying villages and discover new casualties . Watch the tsunami take over the street '' Survivors like Ropati Opa were trying to find ways to cope . The massive waves had destroyed his home , store and gas station in the village of Leone on the southwest coast of American Samoa . With tears in his eyes , he said `` I do n't have a house . I do n't have a car . I do n't have money . I lost everything yesterday . But thank God I am alive . '' iReport.com : Witness describes tsunami hitting land . U.S. President Barack Obama addressed the disaster at an event Wednesday in Washington . `` To aid in the response , '' he said , `` I 've declared this a major disaster to speed the deployment of resources and FEMA ... is working closely with emergency responders on the ground , and the Coast Guard is working to provide immediate help to those in need . `` We also stand ready to help our friends in neighboring Samoa and throughout the region , and we 'll continue to monitor this situation closely as we keep the many people who have been touched by this tragedy in our thoughts and in our prayers , '' Obama said . Journalist Jeff DePonte contributed to this report . | Latest death toll from Tuesday 's quake , tsunami stands at 139 . Second quake -- magnitude 5.5 -- shook Samoan islands region Wednesday . Quake does not trigger a tsunami warning , Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says . Huge rescue effort under way in Samoan islands amid fears death toll could rise . | [[134, 144], [149, 163], [170, 199], [798, 887], [42, 101], [286, 382], [286, 314], [391, 432], [579, 622], [579, 588], [625, 674], [1012, 1087], [1092, 1220]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The civil warfare and social instability in Somalia have prompted the flight of more than 50,000 refugees to neighboring Kenya this year alone , the U.N. refugee agency said Friday . The Dadaab refugee complex is the largest of its kind in the world . Somalis are arriving at an average rate of 6,400 a month , and their presence has placed pressure on northern Kenya 's Dadaab refugee complex -- bursting at the seams with three times the population it was built to hold . There are more than 281,000 Somali refugees there , and the UNHCR fears that heavy rains in Kenya will lead to flooding at the complex and pose `` considerable health risks to the refugees . '' The International Organization of Migration has been working with the UNHCR , Kenyan authorities and non-governmental organizations to relocate refugees from Dadaab to the Kakuma camp in the northwestern part of the country . Somalia has been in turmoil for years . Clashes have raged between pro-government forces and rebel groups such as Al-Shabaab , the Islamist militia with ties to al Qaeda . And this fighting has prompted widespread displacement in the war-wracked nation . Al-Shabaab has been targeting the most prominent Western-linked entity in the capital , Mogadishu -- the African Union peacekeeping mission , the de facto military force of the weak , transitional Somali government . Fighting has forced about 250,000 Somalis out of their homes in Mogadishu since May and many of the displaced have sought refuge west of the capital in the Afgooye corridor , the U.N. agency said . Also , many Somalis have chosen to flee the country by traveling across the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea to Yemen or the Mediterranean Sea to Europe . Many have drowned or have gone missing in their journey . | More than 50,000 Somali refugees have entered Kenya since the beginning of 2009 . Refugees are arriving at 6,400 every month placing strain on Kenya 's Dadaab camp . Fighting forced about 250,000 Somalis out of their homes in Mogadishu since May . | [[0, 15], [63, 145], [109, 155], [271, 327], [330, 412], [1085, 1167], [1385, 1468]] |
-LRB- OPRAH.com -RRB- -- When I was a teen , I tried to read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica . My goal : Memorize its contents , be on TV game shows , win cash and prizes , run away from home , move to Manhattan and become a professional writer . Instead of focusing on getting Mr. Right , focus on finding Life Plan Right , says author . I got as far as Asparagus . To this day , I know a little about a lot of words beginning with `` A. '' Some favorites : ants , atoms , alchemy . Plus , Aristotle was a childhood crush , because I 've always loved philosophy . When I finished reading his one-page encyclopedic write-up , I bought books about him . I 'd been saving these dog-eared , underlined Aristotle books , as well as the `` A '' book of Britannica , all to be used in a novel , where I 'd been planning to bless my protagonist with the quirky detail of knowing all things `` A. '' I recently rediscovered these Aristotle books when moving apartments . I flipped through and was surprised to discover Aristotle said a lot of the same things about love and happiness as modern psychologists . Only Aristotle obviously said it first , having been born at least 300 years B.C. Plus , Aristotle said it truly wisely . Indeed , much of what Aristotle said hit home big-time -- in particular about a sexy , smart , funny , rich , lying , cheating , do n't - get-me-started Prince Harming I 'd just broken up with . I could almost hear what Aristotle might say to me if we were to chat over souvlaki . ` Sold your soul to be with him ' `` Mea bene , Karen , '' Aristotle would say . `` You know what your problem was with your ex ? He was not your soul mate -- but your ` sold ' mate -- because you sold your soul to be with him . Sure he was sexy , smart , rich , funny -- but alas , he was a liar and a cheat . '' `` You 're an intellectual guy . '' I 'd correct the regaled philosopher called the `` Mind of the Academy '' by Plato . `` I 'm surprised you believe in something as namby-pamby metaphysical as a soul mate ! '' Oprah.com : 10 rules to soul mate love . `` Absolutely ! '' My fave Greek philosopher buddy Ari would respond emphatically . `` Actually , I sort of coined the concept of ` soul mate . ' If there 'd been a little TM trademark thingy back in the 300s B.C. , I 'd be a very rich man today . I firmly believe caretaking the soul is incredibly important for happiness . I describe a soul mate as a ` soul-nurturing mate . ' Someone who nurtures your soul , thereby promoting insight and growth . I pushed folks to find soul mates because , in my opinion , real happiness only comes when you stimulate your core self -- and grow into your highest potential . Basically , the soul is the ultimate G-spot for happiness . '' Of course , I 'm paraphrasing for my philosopher buddy . But if Aristotle were here , I know he 'd agree with my verbal modernization . Plus , Ari would go on to describe how he views the world as offering three kinds of relationships , only one of which brings true happiness . 3 kinds of relationships . According to ancient philosopher Aristotle , there are three kinds of relationships , only one of which will bring you true happiness . Find out how your relationship measures up ! 1 . Relationships of pleasure . Partners who are about sex , drugs and rock 'n' roll . You share soulless , passionate sex and playful banter -- but they 're about the body or ego . They never soul-nurture you with insight and growth , so they never bring real-deal happiness . Oprah.com : How to break your bad man habit . 2 . Relationships of utility . Partners you spend time with in hopes of garnering status , power , money and beauty like the rich guy with a trophy girl . Again , this is about body or ego and does n't bring true joy . 3 . Relationships of shared virtue . Partners who challenge and inspire you to grow into your highest potential and nurture your soul . A good example is when Jack Nicholson 's character in `` As Good As It Gets '' says , `` You make me want to be a better man . '' When you prioritize seeking a partner who supports you becoming your best self -- instead of crushing on `` superficial lures '' -LRB- hotness , funniness , smartness , success , etc. -RRB- -- you wind up with a soul mate/a Prince Charming/a definite keeper ! With this in mind , if you want to be happy in love , you must take time to see past a guy 's `` superficial lures '' and look inside his `` superinsidehimself . '' Unfortunately , those fumes of chemistry can often dizzy a gal into making stupid love choices . That 's why it 's important to remember : Hot , steamy chemistry eventually fades -- and what 's always left beneath is a person 's true soul . Yes , if you want to be happy , you must seek a good-hearted , ethical soul who brings you great growth -- not simply a hottie who brings great grope Oprah.com : The best things to do for your relationship . Confession time : Another superficially alluring quality I 've been suckered in by is humor . I am Silly Putty in a friggin ' funny man 's hands . I once had a boyfriend who teased me that the secret to getting me into bed was to crack five good jokes in a night . He 'd count down his jokes as the night progressed . Unfortunately , funniness is a mere decorative quality -- sometimes developed to avoid talking about real-life issues . Which is why in the past , after a few months of dating a friggin ' funny guy , I 've witnessed all that fabulous ha-ha-ha laughter often gives way to tears when the guy 's true character -- true soul -- shows up as one that avoids honest communication , warm empathy and the desire for growth . Then , when I try to connect soul to soul -- heart to heart -- I am greeted by a gigantic , unmovable whoopee cushion wall . Basically , friggin ' funny is only the tiniest tip of a person . Meanwhile , a person 's soul is a person 's foundation ! For the record : Aristotle was n't against finding someone friggin ' funny or friggin ' sexy or friggin ' rich . He believed these pleasure-bringing qualities were good for stirring up passion , which humans need to be our fullest selves ! But Aristotle recognized `` superficial lures '' and material goods were simply what he called `` means to the ends '' of happiness , not `` the final ends , '' which is always to grow into your most esteemed self . As Aristotle said : `` Men imagine the causes of happiness lie in external goods . That is as if they were to ascribe fine and beautiful lyre playing to the quality of the instrument rather than the skill of the player . '' Or as I like to say , `` It 's just as easy to complain about a rich man as it is to complain about a poor man . '' Basically , it does n't matter how rich a guy is if his behavior makes you twitchy and miserable . While on the subject of money , Aristotle was no fan of slackers either . He recognized that being or dating poor brought its share of problems . He even admitted the lack of a certain amount of wealth was as much an obstacle to happiness as deprivation of freedom . He gladly accepted that some wealth was needed to be happy -- just as exciting bodily pleasures were needed . But again , wealth and bodily pleasures were mere means to the ends of happiness -- these ultimate ends being to nourish your soul , so you can reach your most esteemed level of self . A big secret to happiness ? Stop focusing on finding a Mr. Right ! Start focusing on finding Life Plan Right . When a Mr. Potential Right comes along , you must ask yourself if this guy will lead you to Life Plan Right or Life Plan Wrong . As you get to know the guy , look to see if he : . 1 . Offers you exciting growth as well as exciting grope . 2 . Has developed good character -- so he 'll be a positive influence on your character development . If the guy scores two for two , you 're likely in Prince Charming territory . Oprah.com : What you could learn from dating 100 men . Adapted by Karen Salmansohn from her book , `` Prince Harming Syndrome . '' She is a best-selling author known for creating self-help for people who would n't be caught dead reading self-help . Subscribe to O , The Oprah Magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . That 's like getting 18 issues FREE . Subscribe now ! TM & © 2009 Harpo Productions , Inc. . All Rights Reserved . | Author says ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle 's advice for dating still relevant . `` Soul is the ultimate G-spot for happiness , '' writer translates . Soul mate is someone who nurtures your soul , thereby promoting insight and growth . Pleasure , utility and shared virtue are 3 types of relationships that bring happiness . | [[2700, 2747], [2400, 2451], [2430, 2434], [2435, 2451], [2454, 2461], [2466, 2484], [2454, 2461], [2487, 2525], [3818, 3826], [3845, 3916], [4743, 4839], [7259, 7305], [3785, 3817]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Flash floods and landslides triggered by a weekend tropical storm have killed at least 100 people in Vietnam , the country 's news agency said Monday . Vietnamese villagers look at the rubble where 19 houses stood before a flash-flood ripped away the hamlet of Tung Chin in Lao Cai province . Forecasters fear additional casualties as more rain was expected Monday . The floods in the the country 's northern mountain provinces damaged tens of thousands of homes , swept away thousands of cattle and submerged crops , the Vietnam News Agency said . More than two dozen people remained missing . Officials mobilized thousands of rescue workers to look for survivors and to carry relief to the areas hardest hit by the storm . Tropical Storm Kammuri struck the northern provinces on Friday . The southeast Asian country is prone to heavy rainfall during the May through September monsoon season . The resulting landslides and floods have killed hundreds in past years . | Flash floods and landslides kill at least 100 people in Vietnam . Disasters triggered by tropical storm . Forecasters fear additional casualties . | [[19, 84], [0, 46], [70, 127], [914, 949], [914, 986], [19, 84], [312, 385]] |
DENVER , Colorado -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Investigators in Colorado say they have broken up a massive methamphetamine ring in the Denver area that distributed pounds of the dangerous drug every week and laundered the profits using collectible comic books . Aaron Castro and his brother were the leaders of the methamphetamine ring , authorities say . `` To launder the money you have to use something that is quick and convenient , '' Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said at a news conference Monday . `` And in this case , they used classic comic books . '' While arresting the alleged ringleaders , brothers Aaron and Alfonzo Castro , law enforcement officers seized about 100 boxes of first-edition collectible comic books . Investigators say one title alone is worth $ 3,500 and the total collection of comics is worth half a million dollars . `` It appeared they were working on a startup company for high-end comic books , '' said Don Quick , the district attorney in Adams County near Denver . Quick said the seized comic books included some first-edition Superman and Batman titles . The fragile , vintage comics were stored in plastic bags for protection . According to a grand jury indictment released Monday , the Castro brothers arranged for weekly , multiple-pound shipments of the meth from Phoenix , Arizona . The brothers then distributed the drugs to a network of runners that made deliveries to dealers around the Denver area . Suthers says Castro brothers sometimes used females `` as drug mules by having them hide methamphetamine inside their vaginal cavities . '' These women would then deliver the meth to a series of houses , and then lower-level dealers would distribute the drug . `` It 's a tawdry piece of information , but it 's a big part of what this group was doing , '' he said . These same runners also collected money from dealers and delivered it to the Castro brothers . Suthers said the drugs most likely were manufactured in Mexico , and each month 's shipments had a street value of about $ 2 million . The indictment details 145 drug possession and distribution charges from October 2008 to earlier this month . The Castros and 39 other people are listed as defendants . The Castro brothers and their top runners are also charged with racketeering . Of the 41 defendants , 40 are in custody . The Castros are being held in the Adams County jail on $ 1 million bail each . It is unclear if they have attorneys . | Colorado authorities say ring distributed pounds of meth each week . Drug was believed to have been manufactured in Mexico . Collectible comic books were used to launder money , officials say . Authorities seize comic books with value of half a million dollars . | [[0, 6], [9, 136], [121, 136], [142, 193], [1223, 1314], [1910, 1972], [9, 33], [198, 251], [328, 345], [526, 557], [561, 636], [639, 729], [730, 831], [785, 849]] |
LAS VEGAS , Nevada -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Christina Aguilar sits in a converted storage room of a Las Vegas medical center , the best hope for underinsured cancer patients to get the treatment they need . Christina Aguilar , 28 , is being treated for advanced-stage ovarian cancer in Nevada . Drip by drip , Aguilar , 28 , watches as chemo enters her body to fight advanced-stage ovarian cancer . She is here because her insurance company would n't pay for her chemotherapy or her surgeries . `` I thought , ` Why am I getting insurance if it 's not going to pay for the most important thing ? ' '' she says , recalling the day she learned her insurance would n't cover treatment . Getting chemo in an old storage space is n't the most ideal situation , but it 's her only choice . Watch chemo in a closet '' Earlier this year , state budget cuts in Nevada resulted in the slashing of the outpatient cancer center at the University Medical Center 's oncology clinic , forcing patients to find treatment on their own . `` We 're supposed to be the safety net for patients , and yet obviously the safety net has holes in it , '' says Kathleen Silver , the CEO of University Medical Center . Oncologist Nick Spirtos found a solution . He persuaded his partners to take on the patients pro bono , converted a storage area in his office into a chemotherapy room and got Clark County to pay for the expensive chemo drugs . One treatment can cost upwards of $ 10,000 . He 's also sought more primitive ways to cover costs . He holds up a clear plastic box bearing the label `` Cash for Chemotherapy . '' Dollar bills and loose change jingle . There are 380 boxes placed throughout the county . `` It helps , '' says Spirtos , the director of the Women 's Cancer Center of Nevada . `` If these boxes pay for one more patient 's chemo , that 's one lady who in the overall context would n't be able to have her treatment . '' With the nation debating health care reform , Spirtos says he does favor universal health care , but not without trepidation . Learn more about America 's health care debate '' He says Medicaid reimburses doctors at a fraction of their costs , and he believes other government programs are poorly run . He wrote an open letter to President Obama and Congress earlier this month . '' -LSB- I -RSB- respectfully suggest that instead of rushing headlong into ill-thought out proposals , you and your staff along with Congress take some time and thoughtfully review the issues facing us and formulate a plan that might actually meet our needs , '' Spirtos said . But on this day , he 's focused on his patients . Decked out in a blue doctor 's gown , Spirtos makes the rounds to see the women at his clinic . Aguilar 's ovaries were recently removed and she is getting her latest chemo regimen . She 's reclined in a chair , a red blanket draped over her legs . She opens a laptop and flips through digital pictures of her mother , who died of lymphatic cancer 10 years ago . Aguilar says her cancer was detected almost by accident . She went in for a checkup and a small acorn-sized cyst was discovered . A month later , it was the size of a grapefruit . She broke down in tears just after her ovaries were removed . `` I started crying . I was like , ` Oh my God , I 'm not going to be able to have kids , ' '' she says . Aguilar was a cashier at Toys R Us , making $ 8.76 an hour . She had insurance through work , but it would n't cover her costs . Her salary made her inelgible for Medicaid . With the slashing of the county hospital 's oncology unit , her bills were racking up and she had few options . Luckily , her doctor referred her to Spirtos . Spirtos says cases like hers are becoming all too common , especially in the down economy . He treats 75 to 85 women per month ; about 20 percent are in a similar situation as Aguilar . `` If you 're recently unemployed , you have no insurance benefits and you do n't qualify for any of the public aids , '' he says . `` So amazingly , the people who 've been working and supporting the system , the moment they 're out of work they do n't fit in any of the round holes -- they 're square pegs . '' If Aguilar was n't getting treatment from him , he says , `` Over time , her cancer would progress and she 'd pass away . '' The doctor , who is bald , stops at her side . Aguilar rubs the doctor 's golden dome . `` The great part about this is Christina 's hair is going to grow back and mine wo n't , '' he says . The two laugh and smile . Outside the room , the doctor says he 's doing all he can to make sure the women who come to him have the best treatment possible . `` I get to hug my patients , I get my head rubbed and I get an incredible amount of gratification , '' he says . He pauses . `` Getting a hug from one of these ladies is like my kids running up and saying , ' I love you . ' '' He turns and walks down the hall . More patients await his help . CNN 's Traci Tamura and Gregg Canes contributed to this report . | Dr. Nick Spirtos of Nevada treats cancer patients pro bono after state funds slashed . Christina Aguilar , 28 , is getting treated for ovarian cancer . If Aguilar went untreated , `` her cancer would progress and she 'd pass away '' | [[805, 822], [825, 852], [964, 1013], [201, 218], [226, 288], [4213, 4220], [4223, 4263], [4268, 4286]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- US Airways announced a $ 5 baggage fee increase Wednesday . A US Airways passenger 's first checked bag will cost $ 20 if prepaid online . The fee for a passenger 's first checked bag will rise from $ 15 to $ 20 if the fees are prepaid online . Online payment for a second checked bag will jump from $ 25 to $ 30 . An additional $ 5 fee will be added for bags checked at the airport , bringing the fee for the first bag to $ 25 and the second to $ 35 . The airline also will implement a $ 50 fee for the second checked bag on international flights -- $ 55 if paid at the airport . The first checked bag will continue to be free of charge . The changes will be applied to tickets purchased on Wednesday or later for travel on or after October 7 . Also on Wednesday , Continental Airlines implemented a second checked bag fee of $ 50 for transatlantic flights . Travelers who pay in advance will be charged $ 45 . Earlier this season American Airlines raised its fees for first and second checked bags on domestic flights to $ 20 and $ 30 , respectively . Continental , Delta and United airlines charge $ 15 for the first checked bag if the fees are paid online , and $ 25 for the second bag . At the airport , these airlines charge $ 20 and $ 30 for the first and second bags . | Fee for the first checked bag to rise from $ 15 to $ 20 if prepaid online . The second checked bag will cost $ 30 , US Airways says . An additional $ 5 per bag will be charged for checking at the airport . | [[79, 157], [158, 230], [1073, 1084], [1087, 1150], [264, 333], [999, 1055], [0, 5], [19, 78], [334, 378]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Iraqi government said Friday it has arrested members of a cell believed responsible for Wednesday 's truck bombings in which more than 100 people were killed . Workers clear the site outside the ministries of Finance and Foreign Affairs in Baghdad . Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta , spokesman for Baghdad Operations Command , appeared on Iraqi state television Friday night to announce the arrests , which he said were made within two hours of the bombings in the capital city . Those arrested include people believed to have planned and executed the attacks , Atta said . It was not immediately clear how many people were arrested . Initial investigations show a link between the cell and the ousted Baath regime of Saddam Hussein , Atta said . Authorities are also seeking people thought to have provided cell members with logistical support and identification , he said . Iraq Security Forces recovered a truck Friday with five tons of C-4 explosives in the Abu Ghraib area , on the western outskirts of Baghdad , Atta said Friday night . More than 500 people were wounded Wednesday in the six explosions in Baghdad . In one attack , a truck bomb exploded outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs . The blast blew through the front of the building , sending some vehicles flying and leaving others in mangled twists of metal in the area , which is just outside the restricted International Zone , also known as the Green Zone . Another truck bomb went off outside the Ministry of Finance building . Authorities said Thursday that 11 high-ranking security officials from the Iraqi army and police were detained for investigation . The Iraqi government in the past has made claims of arrests that did not hold up . In April , it said it had captured Abu Omar al-Baghdadi , the head of al Qaeda in Iraq 's umbrella group , the Islamic State of Iraq . The Islamic State of Iraq denied it , and the capture was never confirmed by the U.S. military . The explosions made Wednesday the country 's deadliest day since the United States pulled its combat troops from Iraqi cities and towns nearly two months ago and left security in the hands of the Iraqis . The U.S. military remains in a training and advisory capacity in those areas and continues to conduct combat operations outside cities and towns . Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered increased security measures , including more checkpoints and more stringent vehicle searches across the capital , government officials said on Thursday . The Iraqi government has been trying to restore what it described as normalcy to the streets of the capital in recent weeks . Al-Maliki ordered his government to take down within 40 days the concrete blast walls that line Baghdad 's streets and protected neighborhoods at the height of the war . Many Iraqis have criticized the move as premature . | Wednesday bombings of Finance , Foreign Affairs ministries killed more than 100 . Iraqi official says suspects were arrested two hours after attacks . 11 high-ranking security officials from the Iraqi army and police detained , he says . | [[126, 153], [163, 197], [1150, 1163], [1166, 1229], [0, 7], [10, 30], [34, 100], [293, 304], [403, 507], [1530, 1660], [1561, 1660]] |
-LRB- Mental Floss -RRB- -- In his victory speech on Tuesday night , Barack Obama promised his daughters Sasha and Malia that they 'd get to bring a new puppy with them to the White House in January . President Bush 's dog Barney , left , plays in 2001 with Spot , the offspring of George H.W. Bush 's dog Millie . It 's a good thing Obama said `` Yes , we can '' to the girls ' request to getting a dog ; for all of his charm , ability , and oratorical flair , he could never be our nation 's chief executive without a White House pet . Counting Obama , the country has had 44 Presidents , and only two of them -- Chester A. Arthur and Franklin Pierce -- left no record of having pets . Like Obama himself , the family pooch will have some big shoes to fill . Previous White House pets have set the bar pretty high . iReport.com : What pet would you want if you lived in the White House ? Here are a few of our favorites : Watch Obama on `` mutts like me '' '' 1 . Billy : Calvin Coolidge 's pygmy hippopotamus . Calvin Coolidge may have been known for his reticence , but he showed little of his trademark reserve when it came to acquiring pets . After taking over the presidency upon the death of Warren G. Harding , Coolidge assembled a menagerie that would rival most zoos ' collections . He had six dogs , a bobcat , a goose , a donkey , a cat , two lion cubs , an antelope , and a wallaby . The main attraction in his personal zoo , though , was Billy , a pygmy hippopotamus . Watch new baby pygmy hippo '' Billy was born in Liberia , but was captured at a young age . He came into the possession of tire mogul Harvey Firestone , who gave Billy to President Coolidge as a gift , possibly because Firestone did n't want to feed the critter . -LRB- Even a pygmy hippo is still quite rotund ; Billy was six feet long and weighed upwards of 600 pounds . -RRB- . Coolidge donated Billy to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park . Because there were only a handful of pygmy hippos in the U.S. at the time , Billy quickly went to work as a stud , an endeavor at which he found some success . He sired 23 little hippos , and many of the pygmy hippos you see in American zoos today are his offspring . Mental Floss : 7 crafty zoo escapes . 2 . The White House gators . Herbert Hoover wanted to put a chicken in every pot , a car in every garage , and ... a gator in the Oval Office ? It 's true . Hoover owned a slew of dogs , but those were n't his only pets . His second son , Allan Henry Hoover , owned a pair of gators that were occasionally allowed to wander around the White House grounds . Sound crazy ? Blame John Quincy Adams for setting the precedent . The sixth president also had a pet gator . His was a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette ; it lived in a bathroom in the East Room of the White House . According to some reports , he enjoyed using the gator to scare his guests . 3 . Fala : FDR 's traveling companion . What do you get the Depression-conquering president who has everything ? A lapdog . In 1940 Franklin Roosevelt received a Scottish Terrier puppy named Big Boy as an early Christmas gift from a family friend . FDR immediately realized that Big Boy was no name for a presidential companion and rechristened the pooch Murray the Outlaw of Falahill , after a Scottish ancestor . For the sake of simplicity , though , he called his new pal Fala . After that , Fala became FDR 's inseparable companion and traveled everywhere the President went . The dog `` gave '' $ 1 a day to the war effort , generosity that earned him the rank of honorary private in the Army . Each morning when FDR 's breakfast tray came in , it included a bone for Fala . Fala also made a famous appearance in one of his master 's speeches . When FDR was decrying personal attacks from his political opponents , he jokingly said that it was okay to mock him , but leave Fala alone . `` You know , Fala is Scotch , and being a Scottie , as soon as he learned that the Republican fiction writers in Congress and out had concocted a story that I had left him behind on the Aleutian Islands and had sent a destroyer back to find him -- at a cost to the taxpayers of two or three , or eight or 20 million dollars -- his Scotch soul was furious . `` He has not been the same dog since ! '' Fala stayed with FDR until the President 's death in 1945 and lived in the care of Eleanor Roosevelt until his death in 1952 . Mental Floss : 6 utterly loyal dogs . 4 . Millie : Literary sensation . When George H.W. Bush took office in 1989 , he brought his pet springer spaniel Millie to the White House . The bubbly canine won over the nation 's heart so completely that she even collaborated with the First Lady on Millie 's Book : As Dictated to Barbara Bush . Millie brought further joy to the Bush family when she gave birth to a litter of six presidential puppies in 1989 . Just as her master helped slip one of his boys into the White House , so did Millie : when George W. Bush moved into the Oval Office , so did his dog , Millie 's son Spot Fetcher . 5 . Barney , Miss Beazley & India : The current residents . Sadly , Spot Fetcher had to be put down in 2004 , but the Bushes are n't pet-deprived now . They have a pair of Scottish Terriers named Barney and Miss Beazley , both of whom have websites and appear in White House-produced web videos . -LRB- Your tax dollars adorably at work ! -RRB- The Bushes also have a black cat named India , who also goes by `` Willie . '' Watch Barney bite a reporter '' The name India rankled some citizens of the country of the same name to the point that many Indians supposedly named their dogs `` Bush . '' The name was n't meant to be controversial , though ; the Bushes merely named their cat after Ruben `` El Indio '' Sierra , who played for the Texas Rangers while George W. owned the team . Spot Fetcher was similarly named after former Rangers middle infielder Scott Fletcher . Other first pets of note : . Mr. Reciprocity and Mr. Protection -- Benjamin Harrison 's two opossums . Harrison 's son Russell also had a pet goat named Old Whiskers . Pauline -- The last cow to live at the White House . She made milk for President Taft 's consumption . Old Ike -- To save cash during World War I , Woodrow Wilson brought in a flock of sheep to take care of the White House 's groundskeeping duties . Old Ike , a ram , supposedly chewed tobacco . Laddie Boy -- Warren G. Harding 's beloved Airedale who had his own seat at Cabinet meetings and gave a 1921 `` interview '' with The Washington Post in which he talked about Prohibition and shortening the workday for guard dogs . Liberty -- Gerald Ford 's golden retriever hung out in the Oval Office and could supposedly read a sign from Ford that she should go be affectionate to guests -- a cute and cuddly way to gracefully end the President 's conversations . Socks and Buddy -- President Clinton 's faithful cat and the chocolate lab he acquired while in office . Socks did n't like Buddy 's youthful friendliness , so the two pets had to be kept separated at all times . The tensions were so bad that the family could n't keep both pets at the end of Bill 's second term , so Socks went to live with Clinton 's secretary , Betty Currie . Gamecocks -- Ulysses S. Grant supposedly kept some gamecocks at the White House . Two tiger cubs -- Martin Van Buren received the cats as a gift from the Sultan of Oman . Congress supposedly made him give the gift to a zoo . Satan -- One of Abigail Adams ' unfortunately named dogs . She called the other one Juno . Jonathan Edwards -- Theodore Roosevelt received this black bear cub as a gift from supporters in West Virginia who gave the bear the name , he wrote to a friend , `` partly because they thought they detected Calvinistic traits in the bear 's character . '' Dr. Johnson , Bishop Doane , Fighting Bob Evans , and Father O'Grady -- Teddy Roosevelt 's kids also had these tremendously named guinea pigs . Josiah -- Roosevelt also had a pet badger , of course . Bonus trivia : Checkers . Nixon 's dog was immortalized in the `` Checkers speech , '' which Nixon gave while facing allegations of illegal campaign contributions . He said the only gift he 'd accepted was a cocker spaniel named Checkers for his daughters . Mental Floss : Why was the ` Checkers speech ' so important ? Checkers , however , was never the White House dog . This scandal bubbled up while Nixon was Eisenhower 's running mate in the 1952 election , and Nixon gave the Checkers speech to convince Republicans to keep him on the ticket . Although the speech was a success and Nixon later made it to the White House , Checkers never got to be First Dog ; he passed away in 1964 . For more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright , Mental Floss LLC . All rights reserved . | Barack Obama promised puppy for girls ; past presidential pets have been strange . What the heck ? First lady Abigail Adams had a dog named Satan . President Harding 's dog gave `` interviews '' and had a seat at Cabinet meetings . Original name of FDR 's dog : Big Boy ; President Grant had fighting gamecocks . | [[28, 34], [69, 200], [6398, 6435], [6440, 6476], [6384, 6394], [6481, 6533], [7230, 7239], [7243, 7311]] |
ATHENS , Greece -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fires in southern Greece that have razed dozens of villages and killed at least 44 people may have been deliberately set ahead of next month 's national elections , the prime minister suggested Saturday . A fire burns in the Mesohoria area on Evia Island , northeast of Athens . Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis declared a nationwide state of emergency Saturday night . He also turned to European Union allies , which have promised help . Emergency crews pulled charred bodies from homes and local media reported death tolls of up to 50 people . Scores are hospitalized with severe burns and respiratory problems , state-run television reported . Although the fires were concentrated in the southern Peloponnese region , heavy smoke billowing Saturday afternoon above Mount Hymettus , southeast of Athens , signaled a new fire . It was burning close to Athens International Airport , forcing officials to close a highway . In a nationally televised address , Karamanlis suggested the blazes might have been set by political extremists , disrupting political campaigning . `` So many fires sparked simultaneously in so many places is no coincidence , '' Karamanlis said , and vowed to punish those responsible . Many firefighters told CNN they are suspicious of the fire 's source , given several witness reports that the blazes cropped up simultaneously along a 20-kilometer -LRB- 12-mile -RRB- front of lush greenery in southern Greece . The prime minister described the situation as a `` battle that has to be won , '' and ordered all resources mobilized to fight the fires . He also announced that a fund has been set up for fire victims and their families , and an assessment of the disaster will be made . The most devastated area stretches for 80 kilometers -LRB- 50 miles -RRB- from the western towns of the Zaharo , within the highlands of the western Peloponnese , to the southern tip of the peninsula , Mani . In the past 24 hours , hundreds of firefighters , soldiers , and planes loaded with water have been battling the infernos on a dozen fronts , authorities said . Yet , despite their efforts , officials said the flames had not been tamed . `` Our emergency services are overstretched and it is humanly impossible to battle this force of nature , '' a top fire official told CNN . An EU statement said 30 member countries had offered assistance . France on Saturday was slated to send two planes to help quell the fires , and Norway and Germany pledged to send aircraft as well . A sweltering heat wave in Greece has parched forests and scrubland . With intense winds fanning the flames , authorities call this the country 's worst fire season on record . Since June , more than 3,000 fires have razed thousands of hectares of forests and scrubland across the country -- nearly triple last year 's total -- according to officials . A mother , her child and at least seven other people died fleeing burning woods in the mountainous villages in western Peloponnese , near the town of Zaharo , according to a fire department official . Farther south , six people -- including two French tourists found by rescue crews in an embrace -- were killed in a forest fire that swept near their hotel in the town of Areopolis , located 190 kilometers -LRB- 120 miles -RRB- southwest of Athens . Greece 's elections are set for September 16 . The ruling party has called for a temporary suspension of political campaigning as a sign of respect to those who died in the flames , and flags on government buildings were flying Saturday at half staff . E-mail to a friend . Journalist Anthee Carassava contributed to this report . | NEW : Greek government declares a state of emergency for the entire country . NEW : Death toll revised to 44 for fires sweeping southern Greece . European Union says 30 member countries have offered help . | [[314, 404], [9, 31], [99, 124], [423, 446], [453, 473], [2333, 2398], [2354, 2398]] |
BOSTON , Massachusetts -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Services for Sen. Edward Kennedy will be Saturday morning at a Boston church before his burial in Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington , his office announced Wednesday . Sen. Ted Kennedy 's funeral is scheduled for Saturday in Boston , Massachusetts , at the Mission Church . President Obama , who called Kennedy an `` extraordinary leader , '' will deliver a eulogy at the funeral , according to several sources . Kennedy died Tuesday night at his home in Hyannis Port , Massachusetts , after being ill for 15 months with brain cancer . He was 77 . Obama , on vacation at Martha 's Vineyard , Massachusetts , said Wednesday that Americans knew Kennedy 's death was coming for some time , but have been `` awaiting it with no small amount of dread . '' `` The outpouring of love , gratitude and fond memories to which we 've all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in American history touched so many lives , '' Obama said . `` His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives -- in seniors who know new dignity ; in families that know new opportunity ; in children who know education 's promise ; and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just , including myself . '' The `` extraordinary good that he did lives on , '' Obama said . Before the funeral , Kennedy 's body will lie in repose Thursday afternoon and Friday in the Smith Center at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston , said the source , who once worked closely with Kennedy 's office . A memorial service will be held Friday evening at the Smith Center , the source said . Learn about Kennedy 's funeral arrangements '' The funeral will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica in Boston 's Mission Hill section . The church is commonly known as the Mission Church . It is a short distance away from the Kennedy library . Watch bloggers talk about Kennedy 's life '' The burial will take place at 5 p.m. at Arlington , the senator 's office said . Kennedy is eligible for burial at Arlington because of his congressional service and his tenure in the Army from 1951 to 1953 . Army officials and members of Kennedy 's staff met at the cemetery a few weeks ago to discuss a plan for the burial , an official said . The plan was then given to the family by staff members . The proposed grave site is 95 feet south of the grave of Sen. Robert Kennedy , the official said . Robert Kennedy 's grave is , in turn , just steps away from the grave of their brother , President John F. Kennedy . The plot of land is currently covered with grass . At this point , U.S. military ceremonial units have not received orders for participating in a funeral , but military sources said a typical congressional funeral would include military personnel at the internment , a military team to carry the casket , a firing party for a gun salute and a bugler . Any arrangements will depend on the family 's wishes . CNN 's Barbara Starr , John King and Alec Miran contributed to this report . | President Obama calls Sen. Ted Kennedy an `` extraordinary leader '' Massachusetts service Saturday will precede burial in Arlington National Cemetery . Funeral will be at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica in Boston 's Mission Hill section . Body will lie in repose Thursday and Friday at JFK presidential library . | [[328, 343], [350, 391], [222, 287], [9, 118], [222, 287], [1749, 1848], [1386, 1404], [1407, 1491]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Carrie Prejean 's lawyer gave Miss California USA executive director Keith Lewis what he said was a final warning to retract statements made about the former beauty queen or face a defamation lawsuit . The lawyer for former Miss California USA Carrie Prejean , says the ousted beauty queen 's good name is `` tarnished . '' Prejean , stripped of the Miss California USA title last week , `` suffered severe emotional distress '' and her reputation was harmed by Lewis , Charles LiMandri said in a letter sent Thursday to Lewis ' lawyer . LiMandri 's letter also accused Lewis , whom he referred to as a `` gay activist , '' of setting Prejean up to be fired because of her statements opposing same-sex marriage . When Prejean , 22 , was dethroned , Lewis said it was for `` contract violations , '' including missed public appearances . He told CNN 's Larry King last week that it was n't one thing Prejean did , but `` many , many , many things . '' `` She came to us and said I 'm not interested in your input ; I 'll make my own decision what I 'm going to do , '' Lewis said . `` You know , when you have a contract , when you 're working for someone , you have a responsibility to follow through on what that requirement is . '' Lewis told King it was clear `` she was not interested in upholding the title or the responsibilities . '' `` Carrie Prejean 's good name has been tarnished by your client 's false and defamatory accusations , '' the letter from her lawyer to Lewis ' said . `` Please view this letter as a last opportunity for Mr. Lewis to retract the defamatory statements made against my client and to seek to restore her good name , '' LiMandri said . `` If he does not comply , I will have no alternative but to recommend that Ms. Prejean proceed to do so through litigation . '' In response to the letter , Lewis issued a statement that said : `` Mr. LiMandri obviously has never watched ` The Apprentice ' if he believes that Mr. Trump could be so easily fooled . Facts are facts , and we stand by them . '' LiMandri denied any contract violations , saying it was a `` complete and utter pretext '' for her firing . The list Lewis gave to reporters of Prejean 's missed appearances was `` an outright fraud , '' he said . Prejean `` did not refuse reasonable appearance requests '' that could `` be expected to promote and further the intended purposes of Miss California USA , '' he said . The beauty queen expected to be asked to attend `` Rotary conventions and avocado festivals , '' not events Lewis suggested , LiMandri said . `` She did not think it was appropriate for her to accept Mr. Lewis ' invitation to attend a gay documentary in Hollywood promoting same-sex marriage , '' he said . `` It was not my client 's job , as Miss California , simply to help your client promote his personal or business interests as a Hollywood agent and producer , or gay activist . '' He accused Lewis of trying to make commissions off Prejean 's appearances . `` Your client was trying to wrongfully profit off of my client 's participation as Miss California , in violation of her contract , by taking 20 percent of any appearance fee she would earn , such as at the Las Vegas jewelers convention she attended at his request , '' LiMandri 's letter said . LiMandri cited a statement he said Lewis made during a May 15 conference call that `` clearly shows that your client was trying to ` set-up ' our client for termination '' by relaying an offer to appear semi-nude in Playboy . Three people who worked for a public relations agency representing Prejean at the time heard it , he said . `` All three of those people distinctly remember Keith Lewis talking about sending Ms. Prejean an offer to do a Playboy photo shoot ` so when they take her title away , she does n't sue me , ' '' he said . LiMandri said Lewis -- and former co-executive director Shanna Moakler -- were `` bound and determined to get her fired , and they have now finally gotten their way . '' Miss USA pageant owner Donald Trump announced last month that Prejean could keep her title despite a controversy over topless photos , missed appearances and her statements against same-sex marriage . Trump reversed himself last week . `` I told Carrie she needed to get back to work and honor her contract with the Miss California USA organization , and I gave her the opportunity to do so , '' Trump said . `` Unfortunately , it just does n't look like it is going to happen , and I offered Keith my full support in making this decision . '' | NEW : Pagaent director responds , `` Facts are facts , and we stand by them '' Attorney Charles LiMandri pens ultimatum to Miss California USA director 's lawyer . Carrie Prejean 's lawyer says dethronement caused `` severe emotional distress '' `` Please view this letter as a last opportunity '' to retract statements , LiMandri writes . | [[2032, 2047], [2054, 2072], [0, 11], [69, 112], [125, 179], [142, 245], [432, 472], [0, 11], [69, 112], [125, 179], [142, 245], [514, 547], [1539, 1635], [3291, 3319]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- While authorities do not yet know what killed Michael Jackson , the possibility that anesthetics -- particularly the drug Diprivan -- might be involved continues to swell with each new revelation . Propofol induces a coma , not sleep , an anesthesiologist told CNN . On Friday , The Associated Press quoted an unnamed law enforcement source saying investigators found Diprivan in Jackson 's Holmby Hills home . A nutritionist , Cherilyn Lee , said earlier in the week that Jackson pleaded for the drug despite being told of its harmful effects . Sources close to Jackson told CNN 's Dr. Sanjay Gupta that the singer , who suffered from a sleep disorder , traveled with an anesthesiologist who would `` take him down '' at night and `` bring him back up '' during a world tour in the mid-90s . The California State Attorney General 's office has now said it is helping the Los Angeles Police Department in Jackson 's death investigation . The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is also looking into the role of drugs , two federal law enforcement sources said . The drug Diprivan , known by its generic name Propofol , is administered intravenously in operating rooms as a general anesthetic , the manufacturer AstraZeneca said Friday . `` It is neither indicated nor approved for use as a sleep aid , '' said spokesman Tony Jewell . The drug works as a depressant on one 's central nervous system . `` It works on your brain , '' said Dr. Zeev Kain , the chair of the anesthesiology department at the University of California Irvine . `` It basically puts the entire brain to sleep . '' However , once the infusion is stopped , the patient wakes up almost immediately . `` So if you 're going to do this , you 'd have to have somebody right there giving you the medication and monitoring you continuously , '' Kain said . Dr. Hector Vila , chairman of the Ambulatory Surgery Committee for the American Society of Anesthesiologists , said he administers the drug during office procedures such as urology , dentistry and gynecology . It is also the most common anesthetic for colonoscopies , he said . Both doctors said that while they have heard of the drug being abused by health care professionals , who have ready access to it , they had not heard of it being used as a sleep aid medication . `` Propofol induces coma , it does not induce sleep , '' Kain said . `` I can put you in a coma for as many days as you want . And , in fact , in intensive care units who have patients who are on a ventilator , that 's one of the drugs they use . '' Dr. Rakesh Marwah , of the anesthesiology department at the Stanford University School of Medicine , said the drug can lead to cardiac arrest without proper monitoring . `` Propofol slows down the heart rate and slows down the respiratory rate and slows down the vital functions of the body , '' he said . Not enough carbon dioxide exits the body ; not enough oxygen enters . And the situation can cause the heart to abruptly stop . '' -LSB- It is -RSB- as dangerous as it comes , '' Kain said . `` You will die if you will give yourself , or if somebody will give you , Propofol and you 're not in the proper medical hands . '' Los Angeles police have interviewed Jackson 's cardiologist , Dr. Conrad Murray , who apparently tried to revive the singer after he was found unconscious on June 25 . They also impounded Murray 's car , saying it might contain evidence -- possibly prescription medications . Police did not say whether they found anything . Through his lawyers , Murray has released several statements saying that he would not be commenting until the toxicology results into Jackson 's death are released . The tests are due back in two to three weeks , the Los Angeles County coroner said Thursday . `` We are treating all unnamed sources as rumors . And , as we have stated before , we will not be responding to rumors or innuendo , '' Murray 's lawyer , Matt Alford said Friday . `` We are awaiting the facts to come out and we will respond at that time . '' The anesthesiologist who accompanied Jackson during the HIStory tour in the mid - '90s also refused to comment , although he acknowledged Jackson suffered from a sleep disorder . `` I 'm very upset . I 'm distraught . Michael was a good person . I ca n't talk about it right now , '' Dr. Neil Ratner said outside his Woodstock , New York , home Thursday . `` It 's really something I do n't want to talk about right now . I lost a good friend . '' On Thursday , the California State Attorney General 's Office said it will assist Los Angeles police in sifting through information in a state database that monitors controlled medication . The database , known as CURES -LRB- Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System -RRB- , contains an estimated 86 million records that list all doctors who prescribe such medication , the amount , the date and the person who receives it . Authorities said the database was used in the investigation after the death of former model and reality TV show star Anna Nicole Smith . A day earlier , federal law enforcement sources said DEA agents would be looking at various doctors involved with Jackson , their practices and their possible sources of medicine supply . A number of people close to Jackson have expressed concern that medication could have contributed to the singer 's death at age 50 . In 2005 , after he was cleared on charges of child molestation , Jackson spent a week at a center run by Dr. Deepak Chopra , a physician who focuses on spirituality and the mind-body connection . During that week , Jackson asked Chopra for a prescription for a narcotic , the doctor said . `` I said , ` What the heck do you want a narcotic prescription for ? ' '' Chopra said . `` And it suddenly dawned on me that he was probably taking these and that he had probably a number of doctors who were giving him these prescriptions , so I confronted him with that . At first , he denied it . Then , he said he was in a lot of pain . '' Brian Oxman , a former attorney for the Jackson family who was with the family in the hospital emergency room on June 25 , also expressed concern about medications the pop star was taking . `` I talked to his family about it , I warned them -- I said that Michael is overmedicating and that I did not want to see this kind of a case develop , '' Oxman told CNN the next day . Earlier this week , the nutritionist Lee , a registered nurse , said Jackson suffered from severe bouts of insomnia and asked her to find him some Diprivan . `` I told him this medication is not safe , '' Lee said . `` He said , ' I just want to get some sleep . You do n't understand . I just want to be able to be knocked out and go to sleep . ' '' Lee , however , said she did not know of any doctors who would have given Jackson the drug nor had she seen him use it . CNN 's Danielle Dellorto and Elizabeth Landau in Atlanta , Georgia , and Drew Griffin in Los Angeles , California , contributed to this report . | Anesthesiologist : Diprivan `` as dangerous as it comes , '' without proper guidance . Sources say Jackson traveled with an anesthesiologist during world tour in 1990s . Doctor would `` take him down '' at night and `` bring him back up , '' sources say . Associated Press : Unnamed law enforcement source says Diprivan found in house . | [[2591, 2689], [2692, 2760], [590, 732], [776, 836], [4066, 4152], [4158, 4176], [713, 732], [746, 771], [311, 320], [323, 420], [351, 454]] |
SEATTLE , Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Software giant Microsoft apologized Wednesday for the apparent bad judgment that led to the head of a black model being swapped for that of a white model in an online advertisement . A black man in an online Microsoft ad was replaced with a white man , bottom , on the company 's Polish Web site . The ad -- which showed three business people , one Asian , one white and one black -- was altered on Microsoft 's Web site for Poland to place the head of a white man on a black man 's body . `` We apologized , fixed the error and we are looking into how it happened , '' said Lou Gellos , a Microsoft spokesman . He said that because the company was still reviewing how the swap occurred he could not comment further . On Microsoft 's official page on the social network site Twitter , a posting calls the swap `` a marketing mistake '' and offers `` sincere apologies . '' The episode drew widespread criticism on the Internet after Engadget , an influential tech blog , published news of the gaffe Tuesday . The business Web site CNET.com wrote that the change in models may have been made with the `` racially homogeneous '' Polish market in mind . CNET is a CNN.com content partner . | Microsoft apologizes for a gaffe in an ad on its Polish Web site . Ad was altered to replace a black businessman 's head with that of a white man . `` We are looking into how it happened , '' says a Microsoft spokesman . | [[0, 7], [10, 36], [40, 115], [223, 337], [137, 222], [223, 337], [338, 529], [465, 529], [569, 604], [652, 757], [673, 757]] |
-LRB- Tribune Media Services -RRB- -- Ahh ! Ohh ! Spa time at the Hawks Cay Resort in Florida . I 'm face down on a massage table looking through glass at fish swimming in the lagoon , as the Polynesian masseuse caresses me with bags of seaweed and creams made from ground pearls and deep-sea water . Polynesian music plays softly . Waves lap the shore . Can it get any better than this ? We 're at the Thalasso Spa at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort , which I 'm told is the largest spa in French Polynesia , the first in the world to use water drawn from deep in the Pacific , which they tell us is extremely pure and rich in minerals . It 's just an average mom-and-daughter afternoon together , or once in a lifetime , in this case . My friend , Pam Roza , her daughter , Orlee , my daughter , Mel , and their two friends , Margaret Bylsma and Lane Washburn -- all newly minted high school grads -- have taken an afternoon off from sailing on our chartered catamaran to enjoy a little spa action , followed by a real shower . The two dads have declined our invitation to join us and are snoozing by the pool at the resort . As if the massage is n't enough , we luxuriate in a walk-through pool that pummels our legs with jets of water . There are also treatments with deep-sea water showers , baths with deep-sea water and hydro massages , marine scrubs and mud treatments ... too bad we only have an afternoon ! Of course , my mom never took me to a spa -- I do n't think she 's ever been to one herself -- but I 've taken my wilderness-loving daughters to spas from the Caribbean to Colorado , from Arizona to Austria from the time they were young teens , and like others their age , they are perfectly at home getting facials and massages -LRB- as long as mom 's paying -RRB- . It turns out they 've got plenty of company . According to the International Spa Association , 4 million teens have been to a spa . More than half of the hotel resort spas with memberships in ISA now have teen programs , and new ones that include younger children are opening all the time . An increasing number of resorts have dedicated spaces just for kids and teens -- from Scoops Kid Spas at the 10 Great Wolf Lodges around the country -LRB- choose your own sherbet scrub -RRB- to the Wild Hare Youth Spa at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort in Texas where you can create your own lip gloss . The teen spa area at Loews Coronado Bay Resort , designed with Pottery Barn PBTeen , offers young spa goers a chance to play video games or watch DVDs while they wait for their special acne facials , sports massages or skincare lessons . The Homestead in Hot Springs , Virginia , meanwhile , advertises treatments suitable for several `` generations '' of your family , while the Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort in Costa Rica has a family spa bungalow that a family can use for an entire day , scheduling alternating treatments with dips in the river . `` Teens we see are experienced spa-goers , '' said Pat Liberto , manager at the Cloister Spa at Sea Island , Georgia . `` The younger children who have older spa-goer siblings want to try something too . '' -LRB- You 'll find junior spa programs in cities -LRB- Trump International Hotel in Chicago -RRB- , at ski resorts -LRB- The Sundance Resort in Utah -RRB- , in Florida -LRB- Hawks Cay Island Resort -RRB- and Hawaii -LRB- Grand Hyatt Kauai -RRB- , in Williamsburg , Virginia -LRB- Kingsmill Resort and Spa -RRB- , where birthday party spa camps are all the rage and even on Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruise ships . And the Four Seasons Bora Bora , which is making a huge effort to attract the family market , is developing an entire teen program to add to their special treatments for honeymooning couples . This pampering wo n't necessarily break the bank either , since many `` treatments , '' especially for younger kids , are substantially discounted . The spa treatments at Orlando 's Nick Hotel start at just $ 6 . Solace Spa at Boyne Mountain Resort in Michigan now hosts Family Nights with mini treatments . Admission is just $ 5 and includes yoga , steam , sauna and mini-treatments for as little as $ 10 . `` At the age of six , it 's not often you get to be a princess for an evening and receive royal treatments , '' said Danielle Donovan , from Petoskey , Michigan , who took her daughter Libby . `` The special mommy/daughter time made Family Spa Night one of a kind ! '' `` It 's an affordable luxury , '' added Carmen Gillett , an attorney from Sarasota , Florida , who takes her 9-year-old daughter , Rosie , to Longboat Key Club and Resort where kids ' treatments might include a junior escape massage -LRB- strawberry kiwi body icing ? -RRB- . `` She loves it , '' Gillett says , adding , it 's a great way to share an experience and have a good time yourself ! While the International Spa Association reports that spa goers are opting for fewer and shorter treatments , youth spa programs continue to flourish -- likely because of the reduced fees . For that reason , said Anne Monnier , who took her daughter Hanna to the spa at Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort , `` It was well worth the price . It made her feel like royalty . And just having some special mother/daughter time -LRB- no husband or son allowed -RRB- was special in itself . '' For tweens and teens , spa treatments are n't just about indulgence either ; they can have a lasting impact . `` The teen facial made a difference . It also helps teach a young girl about taking care of her skin and about taking pride in her appearance , '' said Laura Patterson , who has been taking her daughter , Sara , to the Homestead 's Kid Spa for years . Carmen Gillett jokes she did n't even know what a spa was until she was in college . `` I 'm giving her everything I did n't have , '' she laughs . Serenity Shower , anyone ? -LRB- For more Taking the Kids , visit www.takingthekids.com , where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments . -RRB- . Copyright 2009 EILEEN OGINTZ , DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES , INC. . | According to the International Spa Association , 4 million teens have been to a spa . The spa treatments at Orlando 's Nick Hotel start at just $ 6 . Solace Spa at Boyne Mountain Resort in Michigan now hosts Family Nights . | [[1837, 1883], [1886, 1922], [3911, 3974], [3975, 4069]] |
BEIJING , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- China , often criticized for its liberal use of the death penalty , will reduce the number of criminal executions it carries out , a top official said . Chinese police guard a group of prisoners outside a Beijing court on May 25 , 2001 , before their sentencing . `` As it is impossible for the country to abolish capital punishment under current realities and social security conditions , it is an important effort to strictly control the application of the penalty by judicial organs , '' Zhang Jun , vice president of the Supreme People 's Court , said in an interview with Legal Daily , the state-run China Daily reported . `` Judicial departments should use the least number of death sentences as possible , and death penalties should not be given to those having a reason for not being executed , '' Zhang said . Legislation will be enacted to restrict the number of death sentences imposed and the court will tighten restrictions on the use of capital punishment , according to Zhang . The sentence of `` death penalty with reprieve '' will be used more often in courts , Zhang said , which could be commuted to life in prison . The term could later be shortened to 20 years and possibly reduced further for good behavior . China will retain the death sentence , according to Zhang , adding that it should be applied to `` an extremely small number '' of serious offenders . Human rights groups estimate 1,700 to 5,000 people were executed in China last year for crimes such as spying , corruption and drug trafficking . The official number of executions is a state secret . The death penalty remains an iconic form of punishment in China , where executions are used as a public warning . Sentencing is broadcast on national television . Two years ago , however , the Supreme Court was given the authority to review death penalty cases and , last year , 10 percent of death sentences were overturned . Criminals who 've expressed remorse or agreed to compensate victims ' families have had their sentences reduced . The death penalty will now be reserved for those who commit heinous crimes with `` grave social consequences , '' the government said . It 's a step in the right direction , China analysts say . But they criticize the move as being too ambiguous and remain skeptical that it will lead to an actual reduction in executions . `` This is a small incremental step , but a step in the right direction , '' said Victor Gao , a director of the China National Association of International Studies . `` While other countries have abolished the death penalty because they think it is cruel and unusual punishment , China has decided it wants to keep the death penalty . '' Crimes with `` grave social consequences '' is a `` broad , catch-all concept which can be interpreted flexibly , '' Gao said . CNN 's Emily Chang contributed to this report . | Government : Execution only for heinous crimes with `` grave social consequences '' Human rights groups estimate 1,700-5 ,000 people were executed in China last year . Supreme Court overturned 10 percent of death sentences last year after review . `` This is a small incremental step , but a step in the right direction , '' Victor Gao says . | [[1417, 1467], [1417, 1436], [1455, 1562], [1780, 1793], [1884, 1893], [1896, 1943], [2194, 2229], [2382, 2417], [2456, 2474], [2835, 2848]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage has pretty much got this acting thing down . After all , he started acting at the age of 15 and , well , he 's got that Oscar . Nicolas Cage says that Academy Awards are `` not as important as children and making them happy . '' So he does n't really need to deliver another gut-wrenching performance to demonstrate his chops . In fact , he can deviate from a traditional film and venture into animated territory . He 's voiced animated characters in the past , but in Disney 's new 3-D tale `` G-Force , '' Cage lends his voice to a mole . Speckles the star-nosed mole comes to life thanks to the film 's impressive digital animation and Cage 's voice . At first it 's unclear that Cage is the voice behind Speckles , because he changes his sound for the critter , er , character . CNN talked to Cage about playing a mole , animated films and his taking walks in the forest . The following is an edited version of that interview : . CNN : What do you play in this film ? Nicolas Cage : I 'm playing Speckles , the mole , and he 's an outsider . He 's an iconoclast -- he does n't fit in . He does n't get into the fray with the `` G-Force , '' the other guinea pigs . But his IQ is off the charts , and he 's a technological wizard . CNN : So , you 're an Academy Award-winning actor , and you decided to play -LRB- this role -RRB- . How did this come about ? Cage : To me , nothing 's more sacred than the magical world of children , and with everything that 's going on in the world , it gets increasingly more challenging to keep our kids smiling -- people are losing their jobs , families are tense . So anything I can do to give families something to look forward to and to put a smile back on children 's faces -- I 'm gon na do . Disney has a great tradition of enchanting children and giving them something to behold . I mean , you mention Academy Awards -- I mean , that 's not as important as children and making them happy . CNN : Tell me about your voice : Why did you decide to really change it when you read the script ? Cage : Mel Blanc is a hero because of what he could do with his voice for all the Looney Tunes , the Warner Brothers cartoons , to be the voice of Bugs Bunny , Daffy Duck , Elmer Fudd , Porky Pig . To me , he 's a great actor . I mean , one of the great character actors , and I knew that if I was gon na be in this movie , I 'd want to do something like that and transform my voice . CNN : So you 're clearly comfortable playing a mole ? Cage : I 'm comfortable with the mole , yeah . I mean , yeah , he 's different , he 's got issues , you know ? I do n't want a perfect character , I want a character who has , as strange as it sounds , some humanity , some flaws , some needs . But to be fair , I 'm not in a lot of this movie . This is Darwin 's movie , um Sam Rockwell and Penelope Cruz 's movie -- they 're the stars . I 'm only in it at the beginning and the end . CNN : You seem to be a big fan of animated films . Cage : I do enjoy animated movies . I really love anime and movies like `` Spirited Away '' and `` Howl 's Moving Castle . '' I like movies where you feel like you 're going into another world , and no matter how many times you watch it , you 're gon na see something new in that world . That level of detail really inspires me . CNN : Is there less pressure doing an animated film and lending your voice to a character as opposed to a traditional film ? Cage : Well , you do n't have the pressure of the camera . And that 's -- that 's very liberating . And you do n't have the pressure of other actors trying to remember their dialogue or not being in rhythm with you . The challenge though is , these movies take years to make , and I may not be in the same state of mind I was in a year ago or two years ago , and then they tend to pull you out of wherever you are and put you back in a box , and then try to get the voice out of you again , so that 's the rub . CNN : Have you gotten pretty good at honing your skills when it comes to choosing roles , or is it always a risk ? Cage : I mean it is always a gamble . You never know what 's gon na happen with a movie . But I think it 's more of a matter of , am I doing something that I believe in on any level ? Like , am I going to entertain children , or am I going to make a movie that I can stand by because it means well on some level ? That 's becoming more and more a part of the criteria . CNN : How do you think you 've changed as an actor throughout your career ? Cage : I think I 've become more relaxed . I do n't feel the need to jump up and down and make a big noise to get people to pay attention to me . I do n't need to um , you know , do punk rock gestures or eat a cockroach or do something weird to say I exist . I feel like I 'm hearing a different kind of sound now . It 's a much more subtle sound , but it 's still a truthful sound , that I can express myself in , in roles that are much more relaxed and seasoned as opposed to boisterous and rock and roll . CNN : What 's inspiring to you , in every day . Cage : Well , I find children inspiring . The way they look at the world . The magical world they live in , to me , is inspiring . I like -- I mean , I 'm afraid I 'm gon na answer your questions and sound like a complete nature addict here , but uh , I like nature , I enjoy going for walks , I like the ocean , I like the forest . CNN : Is that what you do when you 're not working , that 's important to you in your life ? Cage : Yes . Yes , I like to go for walks in the forest . | Nicolas Cage voices character of Speckles the mole in `` G-Force '' Disney 's `` G-Force '' opens in U.S. theaters on Friday , July 24 . `` I like movies where you feel like you 're going into another world , '' Cage says . | [[528, 548], [567, 602], [3149, 3215]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nebraska lawmakers , meeting in emergency session this week , are set to change a controversial safe-haven law by sharply limiting the age at which a child can be dropped off with local authorities . Thirty-five children have been dropped off at Nebraska hospitals since the law was enacted . The state Senate voted 41 to 6 Wednesday to scrap the current version of the law -- which has no age limitation -- and instead establish a strict 30-day age limit . State legislators have expressed concern that , if the law is not changed , Nebraska 's social services system will be overwhelmed by older children delivered by parents from around the country who find they are unable to provide proper care . The legislature -- which has only one chamber , the Senate -- is expected to approve final passage of the revision this week before Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman signs it on Friday . Nebraska 's safe haven law was intended to allow parents to hand over an infant anonymously to a hospital without being prosecuted . Of the 35 children who have been dropped off at hospitals since the law went into effect in September , however , not one has been an infant , officials say . All but six have been older than 10 , according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services . `` The abandonment of these children -- and the harm it is causing them -- is an immediate concern , '' said Jen Rae Hein , communications director for the governor . `` Some children have been begging their parents or guardians not to leave , '' said social worker Courtney Anderson . `` They may not really understand why they are being left at the hospital . But they know they are being left , and the parent or guardian might be fleeing . '' On Tuesday , a 15-year-old girl was left at a hospital in Hall County , located in the central part of the state . Last week , a 14-year-old boy and his 17-year-old sister were dropped off at an Omaha hospital ; the girl ran away from the hospital . Earlier in the week , a father flew in from Miami , Florida , to leave his teenage son at a hospital , officials said . `` Please do n't bring your teenager to Nebraska , '' Heineman told parents in an interview with CNN . `` Think of what you are saying . You are saying you no longer support them . You no longer love them . '' State Sen. Tom White said lawmakers have been caught off guard by the number of teenagers dropped off under the law . `` What you 've seen is an extraordinary cry for help from people all across the country , '' he said . `` Nebraska ca n't afford to take care of all of them . Nebraska would like to be able to , but they know that we ca n't so we are going to have to change the law . '' Five of the 35 abandoned children were brought to Nebraska from out of state . Parents have traveled to Nebraska from Michigan , Indiana , Iowa , Florida and Georgia . `` We did n't think -LSB- the law -RSB- would be used to the extent it -LSB- has been -RSB- , '' state Sen. Brad Ashford said . `` We did n't anticipate children coming from other states . '' Tysheema Brown drove from Georgia to leave her teenage son at an Omaha hospital . `` Do not judge me as a parent . I love my son and my son knows that , '' Brown said . `` There is just no help . There has n't been any help . '' Safe-haven laws allow distraught parents who fear their children are in imminent danger to drop them off at hospitals without being charged with abandonment . Nebraska was the last state in the country to pass such a law . But every other state included an age limit . There are 6,600 children in state custody in Nebraska , according to the Department of Health and Human Services . The per capita rate is one of the highest in the country , said Todd Landry , director of the Division of Children and Family Services for the Department of Health and Human Services , . `` I think this has spurred some really healthy conversations about how do parents get the help that they need when they are struggling with some of these parenting issues , '' he said . `` And the message that we have been trying to get out is , ` Do n't wait until it 's a crisis . Reach out to your family and friends . ' '' CNN 's Ed Lavandera contributed to this report . | State legislature meeting to set maximum age for drop-off , rule out older kids . Social worker : `` Children have been begging their parents or guardians not to leave '' Mom : `` Do not judge me as a parent . I love my son '' Governor : `` Please do n't bring your teenager to Nebraska '' | [[0, 15], [81, 157], [99, 129], [141, 218], [1467, 1528], [1502, 1541], [3159, 3191], [3162, 3191], [3192, 3205], [3192, 3245], [2120, 2165]] |
NAIROBI , Kenya -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Those most responsible for last year 's post-election violence in Kenya may now be punished by the International Criminal Court , after Kenya missed a deadline to address the issue . A man runs past a market set on fire in post-election violence in Nakuru , Kenya , in January 2008 . Luis Moreno-Ocampo , the chief prosecutor of the court , said in a statement Wednesday that his court will now step in to help Kenya address the post-election violence of early 2008 . `` Kenya will be a world example on managing violence , '' he said . Kenya 's coalition government promised action after more than 1,000 people were killed following a disputed election in December 2007 . Hundreds of thousands were displaced amid the bloodshed . One of the chief promises was the formation of a tribunal to try the perpetrators of that violence . Now that Kenya has missed the deadline , Moreno-Ocampo announced a plan to address the issue . In the statement , he said the International Criminal Court would prosecute those most responsible , and other perpetrators would be subject to `` national accountability proceedings as defined by the Kenyan Parliament , such as a Special Tribunal . '' Kenya will also create `` other reforms and mechanisms such as the Justice , Truth and Reconciliation commission to shed light on the full history of past events and to suggest mechanisms to prevent such crimes in the future , '' the ICC statement said . During meetings with Moreno-Ocampo in July , a delegation from Kenya said that prosecuting those responsible for the violence was necessary to prevent similar acts ahead of the 2012 election . CNN 's David McKenzie contributed to this report . | Violence in early 2008 killed more than 1,000 , displaced hundreds of thousands . Kenya promised to set up tribunal to try the perpetrators , but has missed deadline . International Criminal Court says it will prosecute those most responsible . `` Kenya will be a world example on managing violence , '' top court official says . | [[572, 646], [708, 765], [171, 217], [766, 823], [876, 905], [10, 31], [111, 162], [962, 978], [981, 1060], [503, 556]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On the surface , the similarities are striking ; they were both princesses born in the 1940s in a foreign land . Young and beautiful , the long-haired brunettes soon fell in love and followed their men to the United States where they built a reputation for steely determination and strength . Diane von Furstenberg 's comic book image appears in the window at the London launch of her Wonder Woman collection . Thirty years later , in the 1970s , one was rewarded with her own fashion empire , the other , her own TV show . The only thing really separating them was the magic lasso . Oh , and the invisible plane , and maybe the bracelets that deflect bullets ... Belgian-born New York designer Diane von Furstenberg has used Diana Prince , aka Wonder Woman , as inspiration for her latest collection , a brightly-colored clothing range that proves dressing like a cartoon character need n't involve teaming knee-high boots with hot pants . The influence of the American stars and stripes are evident in the collection , but in the star piece , a full-length dress , they blend together in muted tones , hinting only at their origin rather than screaming out superhero . The collection was launched in London last night , a day after Barack Obama stormed home as the next President of the United States . Diane von Furstenberg watched the election results from a London hotel room , having lodged an absentee vote from Asia . `` I think it 's amazing -- I think we need him desperately , '' she said . In what could only be a gift from the marketing gods , images of the President-elect dressed as Superman started appearing on street corners in the U.S. in the lead-up to the election . Obama has insisted he 's no superman , but do the images demonstrate that America is hoping and searching for a superhero ? If not Superman , maybe Wonder Woman ? `` It 's not about a superhero , '' says Diane von Furstenberg . It 's just because he 's bright and he 's willing to do the work . And he 's young and he has energy , and that 's it . '' Of all of America 's superheroes -- and there are many -- Wonder Woman is seen as one of the most patriotic . She literally wears the stars and stripes . See images of Wonder Woman through the ages and the DVF collection '' She was created in 1941 during World War II by William Moulton Marston as a female alternative to the plethora of male action heroes who were saving the world in comic books of the day . He also invented the lie detector , the early version of Wonder Woman 's `` Lasso of Truth . '' As the story goes , Wonder Woman was an Amazonian princess who left her home on Paradise Island to fight the `` Axis powers '' in the world of man . By day , she was Diana Prince who , with a quick spin , transformed into Wonder Woman , ready to destroy Nazi enemies , foil Japanese plots and expose international spy rings . In the early 1970s , she became a cover girl for feminism , appearing on the cover of the inaugural `` Ms. '' magazine . Fame followed on television when she was immortalized by actress Lynda Carter . After years of lying low , she starred in a popular exhibition `` Superheroes : Fantasy and Fashion '' at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York earlier this year . Curator Andrew Bolton says , `` When designers look to Wonder Woman there are two things they seem to refer to -- her role as Amazon woman , this strong powerful Amazonian figure -- and her as a symbol of America , a symbol of democracy . '' In 2001 , John Galliano for Christian Dior used Wonder Woman as inspiration for a rather risque ensemble which included a red and white striped jacket , starry gold bustier and tiny knickers . Bolton says the 9/11 attacks in 2001 sparked a resurgence in American patriotism that 's been strengthened this week with the election of a man with a mandate for change . `` I think that the idea of patriotism has become much more potent , certainly in light of recent events , '' Bolton says . `` It 's a celebration of a new regime , a new democratic regime . '' It 's perfect timing perhaps for the launch of a fashion range that celebrates an all-American , albeit originally Amazonian , hero . For Diane , the Wonder Woman collection is more about empowering women than tapping into the zeitgeist : `` The message is that there 's a wonder woman inside every one of us , '' she says . She 's penned a limited edition comic book to go with the collection , `` The Adventures of Diva , Viva and Fifa , '' which is emblazoned with the message `` Be the Wonder Woman you can be . '' All proceeds from the sale of the comic books , and a portion of the sales of the collection , go to Vital Voices , a non-governmental organization that aspires to empower women in developing countries , to address human trafficking and to train future leaders . `` What Diane von Furstenberg has done for us , by the Wonder Woman book , by supporting us in the way she has done has raised the profile of Vital Voices , '' says Baroness Mary Goudie , one of the group 's directors . `` And by her example , she 's empowering young women and other women around the world . '' A bit like Wonder Woman , really . | Wonder Woman inspired Diane von Furstenberg 's latest fashion collection . The 1940s comic book character is considered one of America 's most patriotic . Diane Von Furstenberg : `` There 's a Wonder Woman inside every one of us '' Proceeds will go to Vital Voices , a group that empowers women worldwide . | [[700, 774], [796, 836], [2075, 2077], [2111, 2184], [1920, 1951], [4318, 4387], [4714, 4745], [4751, 4799], [5105, 5108], [5112, 5169]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The lawyer for the woman who faces 40 lashes for wearing clothes that Sudan deemed indecent called the law `` degrading . '' Lubna al-Hussein was told she had trousers considered too tight and a blouse too transparent . `` They ought to stop it , '' Nabil Adib said on Thursday . `` It is quite unnecessary and degrading . It is harassment . '' Lubna Al Hussein -- who writes for a newspaper and , until recently , worked for the media department of the U.N. mission in Sudan -- was arrested , along with 18 other women on July 3 . At the time of her arrest , she said , she was wearing pants , a blouse and a hijab or headscarf . Police accused Hussein of wearing trousers that were too tight and a blouse that was too sheer , she said . Watch more about the case '' A hearing on the case has been scheduled for Tuesday . Adib , the lawyer , seemed confident that the court would drop the case . The indecent clothing charge has only one punishment under Sudanese law -- 40 lashes in public , according to the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information . `` These things have their ups and downs , '' Adib said . `` These laws have generally relaxed as a matter of policy . But they are still sometimes enforced . '' The Arabic Network humans rights organization said the threat of flogging was retaliation for Hussein writing critically about the Sudanese regime . However , Adib does not think his client was targeted . `` There are round-ups that they do and it is indiscriminate , '' he said . `` I do n't think she was targeted specifically . They attack public and private parties and groups . They are called ` morality police ' and she was just a victim of a round-up . '' U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called flogging `` against the international human rights standards . '' He said he would take every effort to protect his staff member . However , Hussein resigned from her position with the United Nations to avoid the immunity she would have received , Adib said . Hussein said she will stand firm that she did nothing wrong . CNN 's Umaro Djau , Talia Kayali and Tracy Doueiry contributed to this report . | Lubna Al-Hussein , 18 others recently arrested for wearing indecent clothes . Al-Hussein was told her pants were too tight , her blouse too sheer . Al-Hussein faces 40 lashes in public . | [[364, 380], [498, 510], [513, 518], [144, 238], [170, 238], [665, 725], [717, 725], [731, 744]] |
NASSAU , Bahamas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- John Travolta testified Wednesday that would-be extortionists threatened to go the media with stories implying `` the death of my son was intentional and I was culpable somehow . '' John Travolta 's son died of a seizure in January at the age of 16 . Travolta testified for the second time in a case against paramedic Tarino Lightbourne and former Bahamian Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater . The defendants are on trial , accused of plotting to extort $ 25 million from Travolta after 16-year-old Jett Travolta died from a seizure in the Bahamas in January . Travolta and his wife , actress Kelly Preston , entered the downtown Nassau courthouse Wednesday morning surrounded by security personnel . The actor took the stand appearing nervous , and he took a long , deep breath before beginning his testimony . Travolta told the court a longtime employee of his became upset after learning someone was demanding money of the actor in the wake of his son 's death . The employee learned through the family attorney , Travolta said , that it was `` in regards to a paper I signed in the Bahamas . '' In earlier testimony , one of Travolta 's lawyers , Allyson Maynard-Gibson , said Bridgewater approached her in the days after the January 2 death of Jett , saying she had a legal client who had a document Travolta might want . Bridgewater gave her copies of the papers , which included ambulance dispatch reports and a paper signed by Travolta releasing the ambulance company from legal liability , Maynard-Gibson testified . Watch In Session 's Ashleigh Banfield discuss case '' The paramedic expected Travolta would pay millions to prevent publication of the documents because `` he would not want his name tarnished in media , '' Maynard-Gibson said . Bridgewater told Travolta 's lawyer that her client believed the documents could suggest that Travolta was negligent by wanting to take his unresponsive son to his private jet for a flight to a Florida hospital , instead of going directly to a local hospital , she said . In testimony last week , Travolta said a nanny found Jett unresponsive at the home on the island of Grand Bahamas , where the family was spending their New Year 's holiday . Travolta said he initially told the ambulance driver to rush them to an airport where his private jet was parked . Travolta , who is a pilot , said he wanted to fly his son to a West Palm Beach , Florida , hospital instead of driving him to one in Freeport . The paramedic , however , asked Travolta to sign a statement releasing the ambulance company from liability . `` I received a liability of release document . I signed it . I did not read it . Time was of the essence , '' Travolta testified last week . Travolta said that while he and his wife were riding in the ambulance with their son , they decided to divert to the hospital . At the hospital , Travolta was told his son `` was n't alive , '' he said . On Wednesday , Travolta testified that he learned of a demand for $ 25 million or `` stories connected to that document would be sold to the press . '' `` The stories would imply the death of my son was intentional and I was culpable somehow , '' Travolta said . An attorney representing Bridgewater and Lightbourne asked Travolta if the defendants ever contacted or threatened him directly . Travolta said they did not , that he heard specifics about the situation through his attorneys . Travolta 's testimony lasted only a short time . He was excused and is not expected to return to the witness stand . One of the actor 's attorneys , Michael McDermott , took the witness stand Wednesday afternoon and began testimony about a videotaped meeting between him and one of the defendants . The video is expected to be played Thursday for the jury . | Travolta in court : Defendants used papers to imply negligence in extortion attempt . Travolta : I signed waiver while considering alternative to area hospital for son . Defendants thought consideration of alternative would imply negligence , lawyer says . Travolta says two attempted extortion after his son , Jett , died . | [[1044, 1057], [1060, 1096], [1834, 2040], [2645, 2658], [1782, 2040], [1823, 1992], [1834, 2040], [421, 435], [451, 539], [863, 992]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Portuguese football coach Jose Mourinho caused outcry this week when he substituted Ghanaian midfielder Sulley Muntari due to his low-energy levels -- which were a result of fasting . Muntari is a practicing Muslim who , like many of the same faith around the world , is currently not eating during the hours of daylight to mark the Ramadan holy period . The midfielder is not the only high-profile player who will be fasting , check out Fanzone 's First XI of Islamic stars . . | Jose Mourinho substituted Sulley Muntari because he had been low energy . The Ghanaian midfielder is a Muslim and had been fasting during Ramadan . France international Franck Ribery is another high-profile Muslim . | [[88, 166]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Honduras ' de facto president said Thursday that he is willing to resign and let ousted President Jose Manuel Zelaya back into the country , as long as Zelaya gives up his quest for leadership . Ousted Honduras leader Jose Manuel Zelaya may be allowed to return to his country under certain conditions . The new proposal calls for the person next in line , as required by the constitution , to succeed de facto President Roberto Micheletti . Under terms of the proposal , Zelaya could return as a private citizen , but not be allowed to resume his post . Presidential elections held after both resigned would be monitored by international observers such as the Organization of American States and the European Union , according to the proposal . Zelaya did not immediately issue a response to the offer . Until now , Micheletti has made clear that Zelaya would be arrested if he returned . The offer comes two months after Zelaya was seized by the military in his pajamas and forced to leave the country . Micheletti has insisted that Zelaya was not overthrown and was replaced through constitutional means . The political crisis stemmed from Zelaya 's plan to hold a referendum that could have changed the constitution and allowed longer term limits . The country 's congress had outlawed the vote and the supreme court had ruled it illegal . The Organization of American States sent a delegation to Honduras on Tuesday to promote the so-called San Jose Accord , which seeks an end to the political turmoil and the return of Zelaya to office . Micheletti 's government declined to sign the agreement . On Thursday , the United States said it was considering cutting off all aid to Honduras . Washington froze its assistance to Honduras after Zelaya was removed from office and stopped issuing visas in the Central American country earlier this week . Further steps could choke off as much $ 200 million in additional aid dispensed by the Millennium Challenge Corporation , funded by the U.S. government . The United Nations and the European Union also have said that they do not recognize Micheletti 's provisional government . | Honduras interim leader agrees to step down if former president will not seek post . Jose Manuel Zelaya was removed from office in June , sought to change constitution . U.S. considers cutting off aid to Central American country . | [[0, 15], [19, 157], [1128, 1148], [1162, 1168], [1177, 1271], [1622, 1633], [1636, 1711]] |
JAKARTA , Indonesia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Explosions tore through two luxury hotels Friday morning in south Jakarta , Indonesia , killing at least eight people , a presidential spokesman said . Counter-terrorist police commandos secure the damaged Ritz-Carlton hotel in Jakarta on Friday after the blasts . The number of injured was in the 40s , said Dino Patti Djalal , spokesman for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono . They were taken to area hospitals . Hours later , local television reported a car bombing in north Jakarta , but that report was immediately contradicted by various other media sources . Police sealed off the area around both hotel blasts , one in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and the other at the J.W. Marriott Hotel , about 50 meters away . Djalal said the attacks were coordinated . Forensics experts are collecting evidence at the `` disturbing scene , '' Djalal said . He said he had few details about the blasts , which occurred about 7:45 a.m. -LRB- 8:45 p.m. Thursday ET -RRB- on Friday , Islam 's holy day . `` What I can say is one of the most damaged areas that we looked at , where the bodies were , was a lounge area in the Marriott near the lobby , '' he said . `` That seems to be the epicenter of the bomb . '' `` This is a blow to us , but I do n't have any doubts that we will be able to uncover and find out the perpetrators , '' Djalal said . Police said the bomb at the Marriott likely came from the basement beneath the coffee shop on the ground floor , which would have been busy at breakfast time . In a Twitter post four hours after the blast , Marriott said : `` Police responded immediately , sealed off the area . Guests @ both hotels have been evacuated & have been moved to a secure location . '' At the Ritz , windows were blown out on the second floor , as though the blast occurred from inside a hotel restaurant that would also have been crowded with a breakfast crowd , said witness Greg Woolstencroft . Another witness counted four foreigners among the wounded , according to state-run Antara New Agency . The Ritz-Carlton Hotel was to have accommodated soccer players from Britain 's Manchester United , who were expected to arrive in Jakarta on Sunday . Watch a report on suspects behind the blasts '' U.S. Embassy Press Attache Paul Belmont told CNN no U.S. casualties have been confirmed and that the embassy was monitoring the situation closely . The death toll may be higher than reported , said CNN contributor Tom Fuentes , a former FBI assistant director of international operations . He said two U.S. businessmen were treated for minor injuries . `` There was a boom and the building shook , and then subsequently two more , '' said hotel guest Don Hammer , who was leaving his room in the Marriott when the blast occurred . `` The shocking part was entering the lobby , where the glass at the front of the hotel was all blown out and blood was spattered across the floor , but most people were leaving calmly . '' Woolstencroft had just walked past the hotels and had gone to his nearby apartment when he heard an explosion . `` I looked out my window and I saw a huge cloud of brownish smoke go up , '' he told CNN in a telephone interview . `` I grabbed my iPhone to go downstairs ... and then the second bomb went off at the Ritz-Carlton , so I then ran around to the Ritz-Carlton and I was able to find that there had been a massive bomb that went off in this ... restaurant area and the explosion had blown out both sides of the hotel . `` I found inside the body of what appears to be a suicide bomber , it looked like someone who had been a suicide bomber or someone who had been very , very close to the explosion . Watch an eyewitness report of the blasts '' `` I also noticed that there were a number of injured people being taken off to hospital , but I only noticed one dead person at this point and time , that 's all I saw . There has been extensive damage to both buildings , and at this point and time of course all the authorities are blocking up all the area and starting an investigation . '' He added , `` It 's obviously targeted establishments where there are Westerners and expats ... I can only assume it 's something to try and send a message . '' The television executive said he had lived at the Ritz for a year before moving to his nearby apartment and had been impressed by the facility 's security . `` I just do n't know how someone could get in there with a bomb , given the level of security and screening that people have to go through , '' he said , citing armed guards at checkpoints and thorough searches of people , bags and vehicles . The Marriott was the site of a terrorist attack in August 2003 that killed 12 people . In that attack , an explosives-laden vehicle pulled into the motor lobby of the Marriott and exploded at the height of the lunch hour . Friday 's attack `` was not nearly as bad , '' said John Aglionby , a reporter for the Financial Times who was at the site of both blasts . Former CNN producer John Towriss , who has spent many years in Jakarta , said the Marriott and Ritz often share employees and an underground passageway connects the two buildings that sit across the road from each other . Towriss said the Marriott has beefed up security since the 2003 attacks , making it impossible for people to drive up to the hotel in cars . Both hotels set up metal detectors and thick concrete barriers to prevent car bombers . `` I always thought I was safer at the Marriott because I thought it had already been bombed once , '' Towriss said . `` I thought that another hotel would be targeted . '' CNN 's Andy Saputra in Jakarta and Miranda Leitsinger in Hong Kong . contributed to this story . | NEW : Death toll rises to eight , a presidential spokesman says . Explosions hit Ritz-Carlton and J.W. Marriott hotels in Jakarta . At the Ritz , second floor windows blown out , as though blast occurred from within . The Marriott was the site of a terrorist attack in August 2003 that killed 12 people . | [[10, 35], [127, 156], [159, 190], [39, 87], [191, 303], [233, 294], [1740, 1751], [1754, 1796], [4634, 4696], [4685, 4696], [4702, 4720]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Australian cruiser met the disguised German vessel in the waters off western Australia two years after the two became enemies in World War II . The gun turret of the Sydney II was discovered with the rest of the vessel in March 2008 . The Australian ship approached , trying to determine whether the vessel was friendly . It was n't . What resulted was Australia 's worst naval disaster : the sinking of the Australian ship and the loss of its entire crew of 645 . The wreckage was n't found until last year , leading to decades of conspiracy theories about what actually happened . On Wednesday a long-awaited report on the sinking of the Sydney II ended the mystery that began when it met its fate , November 19 , 1941 . Made to look like a cargo ship , the German vessel was in fact a military raider that fired on the Australians when they got close . The Sydney fired back and , in the end , both ships went down . More than 300 of the sailors on board the German vessel , the Kormoran , survived . But because they were the only witnesses to the disaster , some doubted their accounts , leading to various theories about the real fate of the Sydney . After the wrecks of both ships were located in March 2008 , an Australian commission began an inquiry to formally close the book on the loss of the Sydney . The results confirm the accounts provided by the German sailors . They said the Sydney closed in on the Kormoran until it was parallel with the German ship , little more than 1,000 yards away . `` Sydney obviously thought the ship was friendly and was taken by surprise when , after she asked what she believed to be -LRB- a friendly ship -RRB- to give her secret call sign , the response was a number of salvos that destroyed Sydney 's bridge and amidships superstructure and a torpedo strike that crippled the ship and her forward guns , '' the report said . The Sydney had given up its tactical advantage of speed and armaments by getting so close to an unknown vessel , the report said . While that may have been an error of judgment by the Australian captain , Joseph Burnett , the report accepted that other factors -- which may never be known -- influenced his decision . `` It can never be known what matters were , in fact , operating in Capt. Burnett 's mind when he decided to take the Sydney to the position described . Nor can it be known what advice , if any , he sought from or was given by other officers on the bridge , '' the report says . `` What is known , however , is that , in trying to identify the sighted ship , Capt. Burnett was performing his duty as a commanding officer . '' The German ship inflicted `` enormous damage '' on the Sydney during a battle that is believed to have lasted about 35 minutes and left 70 percent of the Sydney 's crew dead or incapacitated , said Cmdr. Jack Rush , the lawyer who presented the evidence gathered by investigators to a commission of inquiry led by a retired judge . It is likely that Burnett , the navigator , and all of the Sydney 's senior officers were taken out on the first salvo , Rush said . A torpedo tore into the Sydney 's bow , flooding the forward end of the ship , while the Kormoran fired an estimated 87 rounds from its 15-cm -LRB- 5.9-inch -RRB- guns into the Australian cruiser . The Sydney limped away and sank sometime between 2 hours to 4 1/2 hours later , Rush said . During the battle , however , the Kormoran itself was hit by an Australian shell that damaged its engines and set the vessel ablaze . With hundreds of mines aboard , its captain ordered the crew to abandon ship , fearing the fire would set those off . Charges were set and the ship was scuttled . About 80 of the Kormoran 's crew of nearly 400 were lost . A search began only five days after the battle , when the Sydney failed to return to port in Fremantle . And an 11-day delay by Australia 's government in announcing the ship 's loss fueled what a 1999 parliamentary report called `` a proliferation of theories '' about the fate of the crew -- that the ship was actually sunk by a Japanese submarine , that survivors were machine-gunned in the water or that the government hid bodies after they washed up on the beach . The commission thoroughly investigated all the theories and speculations surrounding the disaster and found no substance in any of them , said Terence Cole , president of the commission . Researchers found the Sydney 's wreckage in the Indian Ocean , about 207 km -LRB- 128 miles -RRB- off Australia 's west coast . The commission was appointed in May 2008 and began its inquiry in January . `` For a long time our nation has struggled to understand how our greatest maritime disaster occurred . The unanswered questions have haunted the families of those brave sailors and airman that never came home , '' Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston , the chief of the Australian Defence Force , said in a written statement . | Finding : Sydney 's captain , senior officers likely to have died in first salvo . Sinking of Sydney II and loss of crew of 645 was Australia 's worst naval disaster . German vessel , the Kormoran , was made to look like a cargo ship . Both ships went down ; more than 300 on Kormoran survived ; wrecks found last year . | [[2974, 3058], [2992, 3092], [746, 776], [488, 530], [907, 917], [920, 942], [943, 980], [1016, 1026], [1180, 1237], [1240, 1336]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In a race to beat the flu season , medical institutes across the United States will begin human trials for a new H1N1 flu vaccine starting in early August , the National Institutes of Health announced Wednesday . Concern about the H1N1 virus grew after it spread quickly around the globe earlier this year . In the hope of getting the vaccine to those who will need it most by October , the clinical trials will enroll as many as 1,000 adults and children at 10 centers nationwide , said officials at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , a division of the NIH , which will lead the effort . The trials will measure the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine . The research is a first step toward U.S. health officials ' goal of developing a safe and effective vaccine against H1N1 , also known as swine flu , which has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization . The time frame for developing a vaccine is a tight one . `` It 's going to be close , '' said Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health . `` I believe it can be -LSB- ready by October -RSB- if things run smoothly . We hope they will , but you never can tell when you 're dealing with biological phenomena like making vaccines and administering them . '' The announcement of the U.S. trials followed the announcement earlier this week , by an Australian company , CSL Ltd. , of the first human trials of a swine flu vaccine . Concern about the H1N1 virus grew after it spread quickly around the globe earlier this year . `` This virus has the potential to cause significant illness with hospitalizations and deaths during the U.S. flu season this fall and winter , '' said Dr. Karen Kotloff , professor of pediatrics and lead investigator and researcher at Maryland 's Center for Vaccine Development . `` Vaccines have always been a vital tool for controlling influenza . The results of these studies will help to guide the optimal use of the H1N1 vaccines in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world . '' After careful screening , volunteers will be inoculated and then asked to keep a diary on how they feel . After eight days their blood will be checked and after 21 days they will receive another dose , followed again by diary logs and blood tests . Patients will be monitored two months for safety issues , followed by a four-month and six-month checkup . `` The purpose of these trials is always to make sure they are safe , '' Kotloff said . `` But even after six weeks , if things look good , we 're pretty sure the vaccine will work . '' She noted the response to the vaccine may vary in different age groups . `` This is because young people have not seen a flu virus like this one before , '' she noted . `` Older adults might have some immunity to the new H1N1 virus as a result of being exposed to similar flu viruses in the past . As a result , older adults might need fewer doses or a lower strength of the vaccine than younger individuals . '' The vaccine at this point has been tested only in animals , where it has shown to be effective . Further trials will examine questions such as how the vaccine works in combination with the seasonal flu vaccine and whether including an adjutant , a substance that boosts the immune response to vaccines , can make it work better at lower doses . Other trial sites along with the University of Maryland Medical Center are Baylor College of Medicine , Cincinnati Children 's Hospital Medical Center , Emory University , Saint Louis University , Seattle Group Health Cooperative , the University of Iowa , and Vanderbilt University . They will be joined by Children 's Mercy Hospital and Duke University Medical Center . CNN 's Valerie Willingham and Matt Cherry contributed to this report . | Human trials for H1N1 flu vaccine start August , says University of Maryland . Concern about H1N1 grew after it spread around the globe earlier this year . Patients will be monitored two months for safety issues , followed by checkups . Vaccine so far tested only in animals , where it has shown to be effective . | [[52, 148], [126, 173], [232, 326], [272, 326], [1539, 1633], [1579, 1633], [2363, 2418], [2363, 2371], [2405, 2418], [2421, 2469], [3069, 3126], [3119, 3126], [3129, 3165]] |
-LRB- People.com -RRB- -- While she does not know who donated the kidney that potentially saved her life , Natalie Cole is on the mend and `` really doing well , '' the Grammy-winning singer said at Thursday 's Harold Pump Foundation Gala in Beverly Hills to honor Earvin `` Magic '' Johnson and Bill Russell . Natalie Cole had a kidney transplant in May . `` I 'm just really , really thankful , '' she says . `` It 's remarkable what a new kidney does to your life . I have no complaints . ... I 'm pretty amazed . I have been working on my stamina . '' Cole , whose transplant surgery took place in May , says , `` I just went to the doctor today . He is thrilled . I 'm just really , really thankful . I 'm thankful to the doctors , I 'm thankful to the family that donated the kidney . '' In terms of the support she received , the Los Angeles , California-based Cole , 59 , says , `` My sisters who live in Florida , they came out , my son , oodles of friends . I got sick in New York , I was n't at home . I did n't know how many good friends I had until this happened . It was beautiful . I had people come and see me every day in the hospital for 10 days . '' Having already announced a Hollywood Bowl comeback performance set for September 9 , Cole says , `` I only wish for anyone to have to go through this , that they have a circle of friends like I did . I was very blessed . '' When it came to the medical procedure , she says , `` It is hard to find a match . A lot of people want to donate a kidney , but they 're not in a position to because they have health issues of their own , and a lot of people need them . That 's why the list is long and it takes a long time . `` My friend was on dialysis for six years before he got a new kidney . I was on dialysis for eight months . I 'm almost not even the typical person who has kidney failure . '' Thankful as she is for the gift , Cole is prevented from knowing who donated the organ . `` I do n't know who they are . I have not met them , it 's all anonymous , '' Cole says . One thing she did know , however : the family specifically requested that the organ go to Cole . `` That 's what was so awesome , their family basically requested that the kidney go to me , '' she says . `` We are not sure how they knew . '' Would she like to meet the donor ? `` Absolutely , are you kidding ? I would probably kiss them all over the place . '' Try 4 FREE PREVIEW Issues of PEOPLE , CLICK HERE NOW . Copyright © 2009 Time Inc. . All rights reserved . Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited . | Grammy-winning singer Natalie Cole said she 's doing well after kidney transplant . Cole has a comeback performance scheduled for September 9 . She does n't know who donated the kidney , but knows the family requested she get it . Cole would `` absolutely '' like to meet her donor . | [[311, 356], [1194, 1251], [32, 72], [754, 764], [770, 790], [2079, 2140], [2174, 2231], [2286, 2320]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Many Google users probably did n't notice this month that they can now display their search tips in the Hawaiian language . Hawaiian is one of more than 125 `` interface languages '' now available on Google . Wedged between Hausa and Hebrew , Hawaiian is one of more than 125 `` interface languages '' now available on Google . The list also includes some humorous twists on English , including `` pirate , '' `` Klingon '' and `` Elmer Fudd . '' But for Hawaiian educators , the addition of Hawaiian is a small step toward legitimizing a language that is considered `` critically endangered '' by the United Nations . `` It 's the capstone of a lot of work , '' said Keola Donaghy , an assistant professor of Hawaiian studies at the University of Hawaii-Hilo . `` We 've been doing this work for 18 years , simply trying to make it easier for people who speak Hawaiian to use these kinds of technologies . '' It marks the first native American language available through the `` Google in Your Language '' program . Getting started . It took Donaghy several years to get the project off the ground through the `` Google in Your Language '' program , which was launched by the California-based company not long after it was founded in 1998 . `` The idea was to enable users worldwide to be able to access Google in the language of their choice , and if it was n't available , to enable users to help make it so , '' Google spokesman Nate Tyler said . `` Why limit users to a set of dominant languages if they were willing to help make Google their own ? '' The results of the search are still in English , although the user can select a preference for Web pages written in more than 40 other main languages . Google works with linguists like Donaghy who are interested in translating search instructions into their language . `` Volunteers sign up on their own to provide translation , '' Tyler explained . `` They simply sign themselves up , declare a language proficiency , and then start translating or reviewing the products that are available for volunteer translation . `` When the translations are completed , we make the product -LRB- s -RRB- available in that language . Recent other languages like this include Maori language . '' It was the Maori project , launched last year , that actually helped get Donaghy 's initiative off the ground . Three years ago , Donaghy started e-mailing and calling Google about a Hawaiian language project , but he got no response . He put the project on hold until last year . `` When I heard the Maori version came out , I asked Google about it , '' Donaghy said . `` Apparently the original -LRB- language -RRB- coordinator had gone and as soon as a new coordinator was brought online , they set up the system . '' Donaghy began working on the massive translation project sometime late last year . `` It was whenever I could find an hour or two in between teaching or other duties , '' he said . `` It was a combination of personal and work time . '' He spent more than 100 hours translating the search terms that appear on the Google page into Hawaiian through the program . `` I did the actual translation from beginning to end , and then I consulted with my colleagues at the university who have worked on these projects in the past , '' Donaghy said . `` I wanted to be very consistent -- such as how you say ` Go to this menu and select this ' -- or people may become confused . '' What 's Hawaiian for ` browsing ' the Web ' ? Some of the Hawaiian words for terms such as `` links '' or `` Web browser '' had already been established when Donaghy and others worked on translating the Netscape Navigator search engine in 1997 . `` Over the years , we usually face the debate of do we want to ` Hawaiianize ' an English word , or take an old Hawaiian word and give it a new meaning , '' he said . He explained some of the challenges in translating terms , such as `` browsing '' or `` surfing , '' into Hawaiian . `` People use the term ` surf the Internet ' and they 'll say ` he'e nalu ' which is literally surfing the ocean out on a board , '' he explained . `` But we use ` kele , ' which is what you do when you 're steering a canoe . So we chose that as you 're navigating the net . '' Donaghy finished the translation project in April , but there were issues with the code for the search engine that would not activate the Hawaiian language interface . The Hawaiian language interface actually launched on Apple 's Safari browser first because Donaghy had worked with Apple to ensure that the language 's diacritical marks and characters were available on the company 's computers . `` Now , it comes with every computer that they ship , '' he said . See and hear phrases in Hawaiian '' Some Apple computer users who had selected Hawaiian as their primary language for other programs noticed a couple of weeks ago that Google 's search terms started appearing in Hawaiian , too . `` People started calling me and asking , ` Did you hack into my computer ? My Google is in Hawaiian , ' '' Donaghy said . `` And that was the point I said , ` OK , word is getting out about this ' and I put out a news release . I was afraid someone was going to start freaking out , ` Why is my computer in Hawaiian ? ' '' Important milestone for Hawaii 's culture . The initiative is an important milestone for Hawaiian linguists and cultural educators who have pushed to have their native language taught in schools alongside English . It was n't until the 1980s that the law banning the Hawaiian language from being taught in schools was overturned . The law was established in the late 19th century as a prerequisite to Hawaii becoming a U.S. territory . Today , more and more Hawaiians are studying and majoring in Hawaiian language programs . There are Hawaiian language immersion programs in which English is taught as a second language . Mona Wood , a Hawaiian speaker and owner of a public relations firm in Honolulu , said there has been a kind of Hawaiian language `` renaissance '' in the state since the late 1970s . `` Even tourism has been learning and growing and realizing that our ` host culture ' must be added to the visitor experience , '' Wood said . `` There are many more programs available at hotels and shopping malls that were n't there 20 years ago . '' Wood said that when she studied Hawaiian in college , it was under the foreign languages department . `` It has been so wonderful to see so many of our youth embrace the native culture and see the programs expand to the point where there is an entire Hawaiian Studies Department , '' she said . `` One can now get a B.A. -LRB- Bachelor of Arts -RRB- and M.A. -LRB- Master of Arts -RRB- in Hawaiian language . '' Wood -- who owns Ikaika Communications , which represents local officials , local and national companies and celebrities including Duane `` Dog the Bounty Hunter '' Chapman -- said that when she was growing up , `` Our culture was dying in every way . '' `` Learning my roots came through my own curiosity -- choosing to take hula lessons when my mom wanted me to take piano , '' she said . `` Then I went to the Hawaiian High School , Kamehameha , and continued with some Hawaiian classes and joined a club at UH -LRB- University of Hawaii -RRB- . `` Seeing Hawaiian knowledge becoming an asset over the years has been truly satisfying , '' she said . Donaghy hopes the Google initiative is another step toward giving Hawaiian `` the same status as English and other major European and Asian languages '' -- particularly in the fast-moving sector of technology . `` To me personally it 's very important that we are giving the opportunity to have as many things in Hawaiian as in English , '' he said . `` So if we had not begun to address technology in the early 1990s , we would be telling people that this is a place where Hawaiian does n't belong . You have to revert to English . `` We did n't want to send that kind of message so we 've worked to make the language more accessible . '' | Google search terms now available in Hawaiian . Keola Donaghy spent 100 hours translating for `` Google in Your Language '' program . Hawaiian is considered a `` critically endangered '' language by the U.N. It is the only native American language available in Google search preferences . | [[4895, 4947], [3016, 3073], [3035, 3140], [523, 637], [929, 994]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Reigning hot dog-guzzling champ Joey Chestnut and nemesis Takeru Kobayashi of Japan attempted to psych each other out Thursday at the weigh-in for the 94th annual Nathan 's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest . Competitive eaters Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi take part in an official `` staredown . '' Chestnut and Kobayashi glared long and menacingly into each other 's eyes in an official `` staredown . '' At last year 's contest , 25-year-old Chestnut , a civil engineering student at San Jose State University , eked out a win over Kobayashi , 31 , in a tiebreaker after both initially consumed 59 dogs apiece . It was Chestnut 's second slim victory over Kobayashi in as many years . Kobayashi vowed he will avenge those two defeats on Saturday . He also said he no longer suffers from the `` jawthritis '' that some cited as the culprit for his 2007 defeat , which snapped his six-year winning streak at Coney Island . Chestnut , for his part , said he had no intention of ceding the coveted mustard yellow belt -- competitive eating 's answer to golf 's green jacket . He is setting his sights this year on 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes . Saturday 's competition will be partially about redemption for Chestnut , too . In May , he suffered a stinging defeat to Kobayashi in a loss he said `` really set a fire underneath me '' and `` made me hungry for this contest . '' Chestnut revealed the extreme dietary regimen he is following in the days leading up to the contest . He said he is sticking to water to make sure he is `` empty '' when the mountain of hot dogs is placed in front of him . In addition to Chestnut , Kobayashi admitted to keeping a watchful eye on 32-year-old Tim `` Eater X '' Janus , whose signature painted face was described by Major League Eating impresario Richard Shea as an attempt to mask his `` inner torment . '' In a recent trial round , Janus downed a personal-best 55 hot dogs -- a weiner 's throw from the 59 that Chestnut and Kobayashi wolfed down last year . As a lead-in to the main event , Major League Eating on Friday will hold a first-of-its-kind `` cross-species '' eating contest between three competitive eaters and three Asian elephants . MLE 's Shea described it as the realization of one of his two lifelong dreams , the other being a scenario in which a dozen competitive eaters eat the entire contents of a convenience store . Twenty finalists will compete in the championship on Saturday . They were culled from 18 preliminary contests and comprise a Who 's Who of the world of competitive eating . For people who stuff their faces with record-breaking quantities of food , many of the contestants at the weigh-in boasted surprisingly svelte physiques . Juliet Lee , a 44-year-old Maryland salon owner fresh off the feat of downing 13.23 pounds of cranberry sauce in 8 minutes , clocked in at a mere 105 pounds . Kobayashi , at 123 pounds , lifted his T-shirt to reveal the sort of chiseled abdomen one would expect at a bodybuilding competition . Others contestants were not quite as disconcertingly trim . Fearsome world matzo ball-eating champion Eric `` Badlands '' Booker tips the scales at 400 pounds . | Reigning hot dog-guzzling champ Joey Chestnut , Takeru Kobayashi have staredown . Last year Chestnut won after a tiebreaker with Kobayashi . Kobayashi vowed to avenge defeat from last year . Chestnut : Kobayashi beat me in May contest and `` set a fire underneath me '' | [[28, 111], [262, 355], [359, 393], [466, 489], [492, 512], [572, 608], [747, 809], [1280, 1286], [1289, 1341], [1342, 1394]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After hours of back and forth between members , the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America decided Friday evening to accept noncelibate clergy members and lay leaders who are in `` lifelong '' and `` monogamous '' same-sex relationships . Previous Evangelical Lutheran Church policy allows gay and lesbian clergy , lay people to serve only if celibate . One of the country 's largest Protestant denominations , the Lutheran church approved four recommendations to its ministry 's policies that underscore a new approach to homosexuality . While the recommendations passed at the weeklong Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis , Minnesota , do not address recognizing same-sex marriage or civil unions , they do allow congregations to support same-sex relationships among their members and allow individuals in same-sex relationships to hold clergy positions . The previous policy of the 4.6-million member church allowed gay people to serve as members of professional rosters only if they were celibate . Some members argued prior to the vote that the change would fly in the face of religious teachings . `` Brothers and sisters , I ask you , before you dig yourselves deeper into this hole , if you are so absolutely certain that these behaviors are not sinful that you are willing to place yourselves and this church at the spiritual risk that comes from encouraging sin , '' said the Rev. Steven Frock of the Western Iowa Synod . Among those on the other side was Alan Wold of the Northern Illinois Synod . `` If according to some I am going to be in err for supporting this ... Let me err on the side of mercy , grace , justice , and love of neighbor . Let me err on the side of gospel , which makes all things new . '' Many feared the emotional debate could tear at the unity of the church . So the members voted to re-order their resolutions -- moving to the top a resolution that the church `` commit itself to bear one another 's burdens , love thy neighbor , and respect the bound consciences of all . '' It passed with overwhelming support . Other religious denominations , including Episcopalians and Unitarians , have made moves to accept gay clergy , and Evangelical Lutherans would not be the first to accept those openly in same-sex relationships , said David Masci , a senior researcher at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life . But ELCA would be the largest to make such a move . The church is the third largest Protestant denomination , representing 2 percent of the U.S. population , according to the Pew Forum . The battle Friday was the latest in what Masci said many `` socially moderate '' denominations , including those in Judaism , are grappling with : balancing the growing acceptance of same-sex relationships with traditional teachings . As some have moved toward accepting same-sex relationships , within those same denominations `` you see more conservative wings that are pushing back against it , '' said Masci . On hand for Friday 's debate were hundreds of `` interested parties '' -- including some people who are not members of the church , said John Brooks , ELCA spokesman . When asked whether there had been protests or rallies on either side outside the convention site , he responded , `` Interestingly , no . '' In the convention hall , Brooks said , `` The debates have n't been rancorous or mean-spirited in any way . They 've been quite civil . But people have been passionate with their feelings . '' The Rev. Terri Stagner-Collier of the Southeastern Synod said a vote in favor of the resolutions would cause members of her own family to leave the church . Her sister `` felt her church was being ripped away from her , '' Stagner-Collier said tearfully , adding , I urge you not to do this to all of those people in the pew and in my family . '' Sara Gross of the Oregon Synod said some `` dear members '' of the church will be lost if the resolution passes . But , she said , `` A vote to reject this recommendation sends a message to the world saying ` not all are welcome . ' '' In a `` changing world , '' Gross argued , the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America `` needs to be a voice that stands up and says ` yes . ' '' CNN 's Josh Levs contributed to this report . | Evangelical Lutheran Church to accept gay clergy in lifelong relationships . New policy would allow them to serve if in monogamous relationships . Previous policy allows gays , lesbians to serve as clergy , lay leaders if celibate . | [[67, 109], [174, 257], [258, 331], [258, 301], [334, 372]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One of Iraq 's top Shiite leaders died Wednesday after a lengthy battle with lung cancer , a senior official with his office told CNN . Iraqi Shiite leader Abdul Aziz al-Hakim , seen in a 2007 photo , was an ally of both the U.S. and Iran . Abdul Aziz al-Hakim , who was born in 1950 , died in Tehran , Iran , where he had been receiving treatment for more than two years , according to his adviser Haitham al-Husseini . Al-Hakim had recently suffered a medical setback , according to his party , which asked people to pray for him in a statement released on Sunday . His body will be sent to Iraq and he will be buried in his hometown of Najaf , one of the holiest cities for Shiite Muslims , al-Husseini said . U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill and the top U.S. commander in Iraq , Gen. Ray Odierno , issued a joint statement expressing sadness over al-Hakim 's death and describing him as `` a national leader . '' `` Throughout his life , His Eminence demonstrated courage and fortitude , contributing to the building of a new Iraq , '' the statement said . `` We offer our sincere condolences to his family and colleagues . '' Watch how al-Hakim helped shape Iraq 's future '' Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki also offered his condolences , saying al-Hakim was `` like an old brother . '' Al-Maliki credited him for being a `` strong supporter during the phase of fighting the ousted regime and a key figure in the process of building the new Iraq . '' `` His death at this critical stage that we are passing through is a great loss for Iraq , '' al-Maliki said in the statement . Al-Hakim ended his more than 20-year exile in Iran in 2003 , when he returned to Iraq after U.S.-led forces toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his regime . `` It was very emotional for me to meet with my people after Saddam fell , '' al-Hakim said in a 2006 interview . `` I was longing to see them . My goal in this life is to serve those great people and I am very proud to be a part of them . '' Iraqi Shiites were suppressed under the Hussein regime , which favored the country 's minority Sunni Muslims . Al-Hakim played a central role in shaping Iraq 's future following his return . During his exile , which began in the early 1980s , al-Hakim commanded the Badr Brigades , the military wing of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq . SCIRI -- a religious movement that opposed the Hussein regime -- was led by al-Hakim 's brother until he was assassinated in August 2003 . Al-Hakim himself was also the target of numerous assassination attempts . He took over as the head of SCIRI and began his ascent to power as the Badr Brigades became the bulk of the Iraqi security forces in Iraq 's predominantly Shiite south . SCIRI changed its name to the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq in 2007 to remove the word `` revolution , '' in an effort to reflect the current situation in Iraq . Al-Hakim had always propagated a message of peace , calling on Iraqis to stop taking part in the bitter sectarian conflict that followed the fall of Saddam Hussein . But despite his desire for a secular democracy in Iraq , he wanted a country that recognized the importance of religion , religious institutions and its authorities . Al-Hakim successfully harnessed the fervor generated from emotional religious rituals like Ashura and turned it into a powerful political platform . That ability led some to consider him Iraq 's most powerful man . His political bloc won the most seats in the Iraqi parliament in 2005 . And although al-Hakim never held a government position , he commanded respect from those who did . Government ministers would meet with him at his office , not theirs , and he was often seen in the company of former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad . And when talks on Iraq 's constitution stalled , then-President George W. Bush called al-Hakim , not the Iraqi prime minister or president . Al-Hakim visited the United States three times during the Bush administration to address the situation in Iraq . But he remained artfully vague about Iran 's influence in Iraq , saying its role was a positive one -- in direct contradiction to the U.S. government , which raised concerns about what it called Iran 's `` meddling . '' He cited the two predominantly Shiite Muslim countries ' shared border , historical and cultural relations , and emphasized the desire for strong ties . Al-Hakim 's death comes at a time of violent political turmoil in Iraq . The power of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq party he leaves behind is just as uncertain as the nation he so proudly wanted to serve . Al-Hakim was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2007 , and was first treated in the United States , then later in Iran . When he returned to Iraq later that year , he told CNN that he felt good . But it was around that time that it became apparent he was grooming his son , Ammar al-Hakim , to take over as head of ISCI . It was once Iraq 's most powerful Shiite political party , but ISCI lost much of its influence following elections in January , when politicians allied with al-Maliki won control of most of Iraq 's provincial councils . CNN 's Jomana Karadsheh and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report . | NEW : U.S. officials , Iraqi PM offer condolences , praise for Abdul Aziz al-Hakim . Al-Hakim headed Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq , helped shape Iraq 's future . He never held public office , but was one of Iraq 's most powerful , respected leaders . Al-Hakim was in neighboring Iran being treated for lung cancer . | [[825, 829], [844, 955], [1223, 1258], [1264, 1287], [1223, 1258], [1290, 1334], [984, 996], [1034, 1076], [1173, 1219], [1183, 1219], [2148, 2227], [2164, 2165], [2179, 2227], [3422, 3487], [3439, 3487], [3560, 3563], [3573, 3614], [4658, 4705]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The modern and dysfunctional man , who struggles to find his footing in relationships , career and , in fact , the world , has in many ways been the bread and butter of best-selling British author Nick Hornby 's career . Best-selling British author Nick Hornby releases his latest novel , `` Juliet , Naked . '' Best known for his novels `` High Fidelity '' and `` About a Boy , '' both of which were turned into movies -LRB- as was his memoir , `` Fever Pitch '' -RRB- , Hornby 's latest novel , `` Juliet , Naked , '' released in the United Kingdom on September 1 , has just been released in the United States . It focuses on an American singer-songwriter , Tucker Crowe , who still rests on the success he saw with one album in the 1980s , an obsessed English fan , Duncan , and his exasperated girlfriend , Annie . Hornby 's love for music has inspired more than plotlines . It has fueled a partnership with the rock band Marah and other projects , which recently included penning the lyrics for Ben Folds ' `` Levi Johnston 's Blues . '' Meanwhile , Hornby is also the force behind the screenplay of the critically acclaimed film-festival darling , `` An Education , '' which will be released in New York and Los Angeles on October 9 . CNN spoke with Hornby about how he develops the characters for his books , the challenges of writing in a woman 's voice and his own prowess in relationships . CNN : Your newest novel , `` Juliet , Naked , '' seems to revisit the kind of character that anchored `` High Fidelity , '' the obsessive , somewhat dysfunctional music fan . What is it about this type that had you coming back , and how have the years changed this character ? Hornby : Well , I conceived them as being different . Rob in `` High Fidelity , '' he was n't the obsessive . It was the people around him . This one -LSB- Duncan -RSB- is one of three characters ; he 's the nerdy obsessive . ... The Internet 's changed everything . There are no record stores to hang out in anymore . Ten or 15 years ago , he -LSB- Duncan -RSB- would n't have found anyone to talk to . And nobody 's career -LSB- character Tucker Crowe 's included -RSB- is allowed to die . Way back , obsessives had to admit other interests into their lives . These people do n't have to really do anything like that . Watch the author talk about music , comedy and relationships '' CNN : Your books , and now your screenplay , are so rich in complicated and incredibly flawed characters who , in turn , have complicated and flawed relationships . How much of what they struggle with is autobiographical ? Are there aspects to these characters that are reflections of you ? Hornby : I think sometimes there are . I have three kids by two moms . Tucker has five kids by four women . But my experience is relatively ordinary . My relationships are fairly stable . A lot of this is trying to write comedy , and complicated relationships are funnier than straightforward ones . CNN : At times , for instance in your book `` How to Be Good , '' you 've narrated as a woman . What are the challenges of taking on a woman 's voice ? Hornby : Anytime the narrator is someone who is not you , the challenge is equal . The challenge is to make people laugh . My last book , `` Slam , '' was for young adults , and I had to write as a 16-year-old boy . Of course , it makes me more nervous writing as a woman . I just made sure every woman I knew read the narrative as soon as I finished . But no woman speaks for all women . CNN : You 've been open about having a son , now 16 , who is autistic . How much , if at all , has that informed your writing when it comes to getting into the heads of kids and adolescents in , for example , `` About a Boy ? '' Hornby : It has n't . Not yet . The experience of fathering a child like that is so different , but I think you have to be very careful about how you use it and how it affects other people . CNN : Your screenplay for `` An Education , '' which is based on an autobiographical essay by British journalist Lynn Barber , was first recognized at the Sundance Film Festival in January and continues to get critical acclaim . How has this creative journey differed from the one you 're used to traveling in the book publishing world ? Hornby : The process is incredibly different . With movies , it always feels like such a long shot getting it made . With books , you write and talk about it with your editor . With movies , you need the money , the cast , the director -- I felt much more confused by the the movie-making process . CNN : But with movies , the insecurities you might have about your own work as an artist , as a writer , are helped by others . It 's not all on you , right ? Hornby : Yes . I can look at the film and take pride in other people 's work . | Nick Hornby , author of `` High Fidelity '' and `` About a Boy '' releases new book Tuesday . `` Juliet , Naked , '' revisits the dysfunctional male , music fan kind of character . Internet has changed how the obsessive type lives and thrives , Hornby says . `` An Education , '' for which he wrote screenplay , gets critical acclaim , festival attention . | [[240, 267], [280, 305], [1466, 1507], [1062, 1071], [1074, 1170], [3978, 3980], [4127, 4162]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The two men running Michael Jackson 's estate gained new powers and an extension of their authority until the end of the year in a court hearing Friday . An investigator 's report said Michael Jackson 's children are doing well with Katherine Jackson as their guardian . Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff also accepted an investigator 's report that said Jackson 's three children are adjusting well under the guardianship of Katherine Jackson . `` It looks like the children are really doing wonderfully with their grandmother guardian , '' Beckloff said . Joe Jackson sat in the courtroom for the hearing on estate and custody matters . It was the first time Michael Jackson 's father has attended the hearings since his son 's June 25 death . John Branca and John McClain , named as executors of Jackson 's 2002 will , have been handling the estate 's business as temporary special administrators since July while the will probate process is completed . Branca was a longtime attorney for Michael Jackson , who was rehired by the pop star just a week before his death , according to estate lawyer Howard Weitzman . McClain is a former music industry executive who worked with Jackson for years . Katherine Jackson 's challenge of Branca and McClain appears headed for a trial in December , unless an agreement is reached between them . Her lawyers have not publicly given their objections to the two men , but have suggested the trial would explore possible conflicts of interest that would prevent them from running the estate . Jackson 's lawyers have also said a Jackson family member should be included as an executor . While Joe Jackson did not speak to reporters after the hearing , a Jackson family friend , Majestik Magnificent , talked about the special administrators . `` Why are they even here ? Why are they even involved in this ? This is a family affair , '' he said . Until now , the administrators had to ask for court approval for every agreement they made for the estate , including a deal for a movie that will hit theaters at the end of October . `` Things went well for the estate , because the estate can now continue to do it 's business , '' Weitzman said after the hearing . Beckloff said that while the case is fascinating , his calendar is too full for him to be involved in all of the estate 's business . With their new powers , the special administrators only have to notify the court and the Jacksons about deals . Michael Jackson 's mother and three children , along with unnamed charities , are the beneficiaries of the estate , which is estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars . An odd moment came in the hearing when a woman who has previously filed a papers claiming to be the mother of Michael Jackson 's youngest child , Prince Michael II , spoke up to remind the judge she was there . She says her name is Billie Jean Jackson . At the end of the hearing , Joe Jackson approached her , but she frowned at him and walked away . Majestik Magnificent later wondered aloud why reporters even give any attention to `` crazy '' people surrounding the case . | Judge extends Michael Jackson administrators ' powers until the end of the year . Administrators of estate do n't need to have court approval for every decision . Joe Jackson attends court hearing for the first time since son 's death . | [[0, 11], [14, 40], [90, 197], [700, 806], [707, 806]] |
-LRB- Entertainment Weekly -RRB- -- `` Whip It ! '' suggests what might have happened if Juno had gone to a high school as poky as Napoleon Dynamite 's and decided that although her mother wanted her to be a beauty queen like Little Miss Sunshine , she 'd rather just strap on roller skates . Ellen Page plays roller derby competitor Babe Ruthless in `` Whip It ! '' Only here the petite , droll , feisty , Ellen Page-like heroine played by Ellen Page is named Bliss . And her idea of sass while chatting up a cute rocker -LRB- Landon Pigg -RRB- in this desexualized , slow-speed grrrl-power sports fantasy is `` I 'm Bliss , but I could change that . '' Bliss does change her name , at least at the Roller Derby rink . She sneaks away from her square parents -LRB- Marcia Gay Harden as the U.S. Postal Service 's least likely mail carrier and Daniel Stern as a nice schlub who likes beer -RRB- to roll with a sisterly Austin team who call themselves the Hurl Scouts . There , she dubs herself Babe Ruthless , making up in speed what she lacks in muscled aggression . She 's heck on wheels , or so we are asked to believe : The rink footage is pretty un-whippy . Even Juliette Lewis , playing the film 's designated bad girl and Bliss/Babe 's nemesis on the rink , is more of a cute bee-yotch than a real threat . The movie is Drew Barrymore 's directorial debut -LRB- she also plays fellow Hurl Scout Smashley Simpson -RRB- , and it 's clear she 's more attuned to grrrlishness than real athletic power : Smashley is the first to scream '' Food fight ! '' and the 34-year-old actress leads the charge in kidlike mayhem . EW Grade : C + . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | `` Whip It ! '' marks Drew Barrymore 's directorial debut . Ellen Page plays woman who signs up for roller derby . Film leans towards softness , which hurts impact of roller derby . | [[407, 451]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After actress Mackenzie Phillips spoke about her sexual relationship with her musician father , online and telephone calls to an anti-sexual assault hot line surged . Mackenzie Phillips told Larry King that incest survivors are `` incredibly underrepresented . '' Her interviews in the past few weeks brought a spotlight to an uncomfortable topic . Incest , a common but highly stigmatized form of sexual abuse , often leaves the victim ashamed , isolated and unable to tell others what 's happening , because the perpetrator is someone related to him or her , mental health experts said . `` For any survivor of sexual trauma , it 's challenging , and it takes a lot of courage to come forward , '' said Jennifer Wilson , director of the National Sexual Assault hot line . `` With incest survivors , it 's particularly difficult , because not only is there social stigma pressuring them to stay quiet , but also there 's pressure that 's within the family to stay quiet . '' The Rape , Abuse & Incest National Network , which calls itself the nation 's largest anti-sexual assault organization , said it had seen an 83 percent increase in activity on its online hot line and a 26 percent increase on its telephone hot line after Phillips ' interview with Oprah Winfrey aired last week . `` Unfortunately , it 's something we hear everyday in our hot line , so to have somebody speak aloud about it was empowering to a lot of victims and survivors who went through similar situations , '' Wilson said . Phillips spoke about the taboo nature of incest in her interview with CNN 's Larry King . `` There 's very little in this world that is taboo today , but this subject is still , like , shove it under the carpet , sweep it away , protect the abuser , deny the reality . ... You 're just on your own , '' the former child star said . This makes it one of the most under-reported and least discussed crimes , experts said . A U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics report found that of the 60,000 sexual assault cases reported in 12 states in 2000 , about a quarter were perpetrated by family members . About half of the sexual assault cases with victims younger than 11 involved family members . At times , a victim may feel unable to tell other family members what 's happening . And if he or she tells a relative , that family member may have `` a knee-jerk reaction , '' refusing to believe it . Relatives may try to protect the offender in order to keep the family together or to avoid the shame and stigma , Wilson said . This takes a devastating toll on a victim . `` Their sexual selves are damaged . Their emotional selves are damaged , because ` who do I trust ? ' '' said Debra Laino , a sex therapist and counselor . '' ` My father did this . My mother did this . Who can I trust if I ca n't trust my family ? ' '' Sometimes the reluctance to report the crime comes from the victim , because he or she does n't want to see the family member in jail . Although Phillips called the sexual relationship with her famed father , John Phillips , `` wrong , '' she said , `` I do n't want bad things to happen to him , but I also do n't want bad things to happen to me as a result of this . And I was convinced to let it lie . '' Her father , a co-founder of the Mamas & the Papas , died in 2001 . Father - or stepfather-daughter incest is the most common form , although it also occurs between mother and child , according to the National Center for Victims of Crime . A sexual assault victim could suffer physical effects of the crime such as sexually transmitted infections , genital trauma and urinary tract infections . They could also experience many mental health effects : social withdrawal , isolation , post-traumatic stress disorder and regressive behavior such as bedwetting and thumb sucking . Some become hypersexual and engage in destructive behaviors , experts said . Humans `` have an instinct for avoiding incest or inbreeding , '' said Debra Lieberman , an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Miami -LRB- Florida -RRB- who researches incest . But alcohol , drugs and mental illness may disrupt that instinct . `` Under the heavy influence of cocaine or heroin or whatever else you 're taking , your mental boundaries are skewed , essentially , '' Laino said . The offender 's sexual frustrations could also contribute to inappropriate actions . `` It also depends on his other mating opportunities , '' Lieberman said . `` What is the quality of his current relationship with the female 's mother ? Is she around ? What is the ability for the guy to attract other mates ? '' The perpetrator , frustrated by the absence of suitable sexual partners , may turn to whomever is around -- even if it 's kin . Recovery from incest can occur , but it often takes years . A victim of incest has to understand that it 's not his or her fault and get professional help , Wilson said . `` It does n't make you broken , '' Phillips said . `` It does n't make it so that you ca n't go on and be -- once you deal with honestly and realistically what you 've been through , it does n't mean that you ca n't be counted on or you ca n't be well enough to be a part of the world . '' | Actress said she had sexual relationship with her father for years . Experts : Incest is one of the most under-reported and least discussed crimes . Real healing after incest is possible , Phillips says . | [[0, 15], [19, 176], [2986, 3047], [1854, 1925], [1928, 1942], [3888, 3902], [4760, 4790]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. authorities arrested six people Wednesday on suspicion of smuggling African elephant ivory worth hundreds of thousands of dollars , law enforcement officials said . Imports of African elephant ivory have been banned in the United States since 1976 . The defendants arranged to have ivory from Cameroon , Ivory Coast and Uganda shipped into the United States disguised as wooden snakes , guitars and statues , authorities said . `` The defendants plundered precious natural resources for personal profit , '' U.S. Attorney Benton J. Campbell and other officials said in a statement . `` Their illegal trade threatens the continued existence of an endangered species and will not be tolerated . '' Federal agents tracked at least eight shipments , including one worth an estimated $ 165,000 . Federal agents used surveillance and shipping , phone and bank records to track the suspect shipments . Arrests were made in New York , New Jersey , Virginia and Texas . The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division of the Department of Homeland Security were involved in the law enforcement operation . One suspect told an undercover federal agent during a purchase that it was difficult to bring ivory into the United States , but easy to sell it at high prices , the government statement said . Two other suspects also are accused of paying a courier $ 15,000 to bring a shipment of ivory from Cameroon into the United States . The U.S. banned ivory imports in 1976 , and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora effectively outlawed trade in elephant tissue in 1989 . Illegal trade in African elephant ivory is considered to be a major cause of the continuing decline of elephant populations in Africa . The defendants are expected to appear in court in New York on Wednesday . They face jail terms of up to 20 years if convicted . | Six in four states face federal smuggling charges , U.S. attorney says . Ivory reportedly disguised as wooden snakes , guitars and statues . Elephant ivory trade illegal in U.S. since 1976 , worldwide since 1989 . | [[28, 117], [198, 282], [1497, 1534], [1541, 1680]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When the economy gets tough , the tough come out fighting . For some businesses , that means bringing out a fighter brand -- a cut-price version of a flagship product , marketed under a new name , and intended to fight back against budget competitors . `` Jetstar '' is a fighter brand that worked , beating the competition and creating a lasting , money-making brand . When it 's done right it can destroy cut-price competition , but done badly it can drive a business to the brink of bankruptcy . Mark Ritson , associate professor at Melbourne Business School , has written an article for the October issue of Harvard Business Review discussing the benefits and pitfalls of launching a fighter brand . He says that over the next six months a number of new fighter brands are likely to appear in response to the recession . `` Fighter brands are very unusual but they are becoming increasingly common , '' he told CNN . `` It 's high risk and high reward , and when it works it can have astonishing results . '' Ritson gives the example of Intel , which launched its budget `` Celeron '' chip in the late 1990s to in response to AMD 's low-priced chips , which were threatening Intel 's premium `` Pentium '' brand . Read more business features With `` Celeron , '' Intel came up with a budget alternative to `` Pentium '' for the lower end of the market and cemented its position as market leader . But Intel 's success is the exception rather than the rule . `` The majority of fighter brands not only have n't worked , but have gone on to do significant damage to the companies that launched them , '' said Ritson . General Motors ' -LRB- GM -RRB- `` Saturn , '' United Airlines ' `` Ted , '' and Kodak 's `` Funtime '' film range are all high-profile fighter brands that failed . Despite the appeal of taking on the competition in a fist fight , launching a successful fighter brand is easier said than done . `` The problem is that fighter brands are almost always a knee-jerk reaction to a problem and are not always well thought out , '' Neil Saunders , consulting director with Verdict Research , told CNN . Ritson says one element in building a fighter brand is to avoid creating a low-price product that is so attractive that it steals customers who would otherwise be buying that company 's premium-brand product . On the other hand , if the fighter brand is too expensive or too low quality , it wo n't put up much of a fight against the opposition it 's designed to attack . Another complication is that even the biggest companies do n't have the money and managerial time to distract themselves with a new brand at a time when they should be concentrating on their core products , and then there is the difficulty in operating at an unfamiliar low price level . `` The airline industry is a prime example , where people have launched fighter brands to combat the budget airlines and have been notoriously unsuccessful , '' said Saunders . `` If it 's not your business model it 's not easy to operate , and it 's not usually these airlines ' business model . '' United 's `` Ted , '' and Delta Air Lines `` Song '' were launched to combat budget carriers , but they were n't up to the challenge . In fact , Ritson says those fighter brands contributed to United and Delta 's bankruptcy . But with its budget `` Jetstar '' airline , Qantas managed to find the holy grail for fighter brands -- beating the competition and creating a lasting , money-making brand in its own right . So what was different about the Qantas model ? `` One thing was that Qantas took a long , hard look at the numbers and decided if they could be profitable , '' said Ritson . `` One of the problems with fighter brands is that they are oriented towards destroying a competitor and because of that managers pay a lot less attention to the bottom line . '' He gives the example of GM 's `` Saturn , '' a car designed to take on fuel-efficient , affordable Japanese cars . `` Saturn '' sold plenty of cars , at least at first , but its high operating costs meant it lost millions of dollars , playing a huge part in bankrupting GM . So given the huge risks involved , should companies even consider launching a fighter brand ? `` Only do it if you can win and it fits with your existing proposition , '' says Saunders . Ritson cautions , `` The minute you add a new brand to your portfolio it 's hundreds of thousands of hours of management time , and millions of dollars in development , advertising and distraction . `` Ask the question , ` do I need a fighter brand or is this a real seismic change in the market , which means I need to change my existing strategy with existing brands ? ' Otherwise you will lose five years and $ 50 million . '' | Fighter brands are designed to fight back against low-priced competition . Done wrong , fighter brands can drive a company to the brink of bankruptcy . GM 's `` Saturn '' is a fighter brand that failed , while Intel 's `` Celeron '' succeeded . New fighter brands are likely to be launched in response to the recession . | [[237, 288], [2858, 2929], [3113, 3205], [3883, 3922], [740, 860], [753, 860]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A key House committee passed comprehensive health care reform legislation Friday , moving President Obama 's domestic priority one step closer to congressional approval . Speaker Nancy Pelosi says House Democrats will return to their districts ready to defend the bill . The vote occurred as the House of Representatives adjourned for its August recess . The 31-28 vote in the House Energy and Commerce Committee came after several days of intense and often contentious negotiations between Democratic House leaders and an influential group of fiscal conservatives in the party . Three members of the Democrats ' conservative Blue Dog caucus -- John Barrow of Georgia , Jim Matheson of Utah and Charlie Melancon of Louisiana -- voted against the bill , along with two other Democrats , Bart Stupak of Michigan and Rick Boucher of Virginia . The committee 's bill will now be merged with two separate versions passed by other House panels before being considered by the full chamber in September . The prospects for health care reform in the full House , however , remain unclear . Democrats remain deeply divided , with a number of liberals expressing strong opposition to concessions made to the party 's so-called Blue Dog conservatives on the Energy and Commerce Committee . The fate of health care reform also remains uncertain in the Senate , where the Finance Committee recently postponed its long-awaited vote on a bipartisan compromise plan until after the August recess . The coming fights in both chambers serve as a backdrop for what is expected to be a month of furious campaigning for and against the bill as members of Congress meet with constituents back home over the break . House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday that House Democrats will return to their districts with talking points and memos to help them rebut opponents running `` a shock and awe campaign ... to perpetuate the status quo . '' `` Facts mean nothing '' to insurance industry executives and others opposed to change , she said . `` Misrepresentation is the currency of their realm . '' Pelosi did not indicate , however , how Democratic divisions in the House might be overcome when Congress returns in the fall . On Thursday , 57 members of the House Progressive Caucus sent a letter to Pelosi and others complaining that the agreement with the Blue Dogs weakened language creating a government-funded health insurance option . `` Any bill that does not provide , at a minimum , for a public option with reimbursement rates based on Medicare rates -- not negotiated rates -- is unacceptable , '' the letter said . The revised bill calls for the government-run public insurance option to be reimbursed on rates determined by negotiations with the insurance industry . The original version called for the same reimbursement rates as in the government 's Medicare program for senior citizens . The progressive Democrats also argued that cuts to the bill 's overall price would shortchange subsidies meant to help low - and moderate-income Americans buy health insurance . Some of those concerns were addressed Friday when the Energy and Commerce committee boosted funding for subsidies and added a provision empowering the federal government to directly negotiate prescription drug rates in the public plan . The agreement with the Blue Dogs , estimated to lower the cost of the House plan by $ 100 billion over a decade , would also exempt businesses with payrolls below $ 500,000 from having to provide health coverage to employees . `` We can compromise no more , '' warned Rep. Lynn Woolsey , co-chair of the 81-member Progressive Caucus . `` When leaders of the House meet ... to consider the three bills and produce a final one , we expect that it will retain a robust public option . If it does n't , we will vote against it . '' Opposition from progressive Democrats and some conservative House Democrats who want additional cost cuts could defeat the bill . Pelosi admitted that she preferred the original bill , but noted that much of the new language matched a proposal supported by Sen. Edward Kennedy , D-Massachusetts , a longtime champion of health care reform who is revered by liberal Democrats . She also pointed out that the bill could change when the House and Senate negotiate a final measure in coming months . On the Senate side , key Republicans in the Finance Committee negotiations said Wednesday that they were unlikely to complete work on a compromise plan before the August break . Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa and Sen. Michael Enzi of Wyoming said too many issues remained unresolved to sign on to a deal by the time the Senate breaks for its recess on August 7 . On Thursday , Grassley said pressure from the White House and Democratic leaders to speed the process did n't help . `` It would be better for me to say that instead of saying there 's no way we can cut a deal , there 's no way we can get all the compromising that needs to be done by an artificial deadline of Friday of this week , '' Grassley said . `` So we 're going to continue to work together this week and next week . But we 're getting close . '' Democrats had hoped the Finance Committee could finish its work before the August break to show progress toward health legislation . CNN 's Craig Broffman and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report . | Bill passes 31-28 in House Energy and Commerce Committee before recess . Bill calls for public reimbursement rates to be negotiated with insurance industry . Some complain that concessions to conservative Blue Dogs weaken public option . Bill will be merged with versions from two other panels before going to chamber . | [[0, 26], [30, 110], [2632, 2727], [2722, 2784], [1203, 1307], [2316, 2445], [871, 938], [917, 1026]] |
NEW DELHI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The wounds of partition festered again this week in India , resulting in the banning of a book and the expulsion of a respected politician . Protesters burn an effigy of Jaswant Singh over his book ; the former foreign minister was ousted from his party . The home state of the father of Indian independence , Mahatma Gandhi , forbade the sale and circulation of a new book it says spews revisionist history about the birth of secular but predominantly Hindu India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan . Written by Jaswant Singh , a former federal minister and senior member of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party -LRB- BJP -RRB- , the book calls Mohammed Ali Jinnah , considered by Indians the architect of the partition , a great man who is wrongly demonized . Jinnah went on to become the first governor general of Pakistan . In `` Jinnah : India , Partition and Independence , '' Singh absolves the Pakistani leader as the man responsible for dividing the subcontinent , suggesting instead that it was another beloved independence leader , Sardar Patel , who played a major role . `` The book wrongfully portrays the fateful partition of our nation , '' the Gujarat state government said in a statement . '' Such a brainchild has no historic background at all . In the larger interest of society , the state government has decided to impose a ban on the book . '' The BJP accused Singh of deviating from the party 's `` core ideology '' . `` We always respect freedom of expression but can never compromise our ideology , '' Sidharth Nath Singh , a party spokesman , told CNN . `` You just ca n't eulogize Jinnah and accuse Sardar Patel instead . '' Singh , a widely respected politician known for his moderate views within the ranks of a conservative party , found it appalling that freedom of expression was threatened in the world 's largest democracy . `` The day we start banning books , we are banning thinking , '' Singh told reporters . He defended his work and said he did not understand the objection to his writings about Patel , who , as India 's first home minister , banned the Hindu revivalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh , the mother organization of the BJP , after the assassination of Gandhi in 1948 . `` I do n't know which part of the core belief I have demolished , '' Singh said . Nearly 350 years of British rule ended in 1947 when an agreement for independence was reached to give Muslims their own homeland . Indians think of Jinnah as the man who pushed a two-state notion based on religion as a prerequisite for freedom . In the days that followed , an estimated 1 million people died in a border-crossing exodus . Muslims fled from India into Pakistan while Hindus clamored to find new homes in India . The animosities fueled by that bloody birth -- including three wars fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed territory of Kashmir -- continue to haunt Indians , said journalist and author Tarun Tejpal . `` This flashpoint played out in public is a reminder of those wounds , '' Tejpal said of the book dispute . As a book of history written by a politician , it might have been inconsequential , Tejpal said . But as a book about the partition , it was incendiary . `` What happened 62 years ago continues to haunt us in a very bitter way , '' Tejpal said . `` We ca n't seem to leave our baggage in the past . '' This is n't the first time that Pakistan 's founder has caused trouble for a Hindu nationalist . BJP President Lal Krishna Advani was forced to temporarily step down in 2005 for praising Jinnah 's secularism during a trip to Pakistan . Political observers say the Singh controversy reflects a battle for the soul of the BJP , beleaguered by electoral defeats and vicious infighting . Many in India view the BJP as a divisive force attempting to gain power by exploiting Hindu-Muslim tensions . Advani was charged in the 1992 demolition of the 16th-century Babri mosque in the central Indian city of Ayodhya , though he was later acquitted in that case . Journalist K.G. Suresh , a longtime observer of conservative politics in India , said the BJP is struggling to figure out how to stay electable , whether to move right or stay closer to the center . `` Jaswant Singh 's book is a manifestation of that clash , '' Suresh said . Singh 's political climb is likely over , but what of younger Indians , now generations removed from those who remember independence ? Tejpal for one , senses the wounds could keep reopening . And that , he said , `` does n't bode well . '' | Home state of Mahatma Gandhi bans revisionist history of India-Pakistan partition . Book suggests independence leader Sardar Patel was the architect of the division . Animosities over the partition continue to impact India and Pakistan . | [[293, 344], [364, 410], [1090, 1102], [1109, 1130], [2781, 2796], [2909, 2916], [2920, 2945], [3253, 3325]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Investigators have heard a signal from the flight data recorders of the Yemenia Airways plane that crashed last week , they announced Sunday . Search parties continue their operation to locate the Yemenia Airbus A310 off the Comoros Islands Saturday . `` A signal was picked up from two acoustic transmitters from the plane 's flight data recorders during a sea search to locate the data recorders this morning , '' the French air accident investigation agency , known as the BEA , said in a statement . Commonly known as `` black boxes , '' the data recorders should contain information to help determine what caused the crash . The Yemenia Airways Airbus 310 crashed into the Indian Ocean early Tuesday , carrying 142 passengers and 11 crew members . It originated in Yemen 's capital , Sanaa , and went down just miles from Moroni , the capital of the Comoros Islands . One person , a 13-year-old French girl , survived . Bahia Basari , who lives in Marseille , escaped with cuts to her face and a fractured collarbone . Watch teen survivor from crash '' The teen 's father , Kassim Bakari , told a French radio network that his wife and daughter were flying to Comoros to visit relatives . `` When I had her on the phone , I asked her what happened and she said , ` Daddy , I do n't know what happened , but the plane fell into the water and I found myself in the water ... surrounded by darkness . I could not see anyone , ' '' Bakari told France Info . The head of the rescue team in the Comoros told French radio RTL that the teenager beat astonishing odds to survive . `` It is truly , truly , miraculous , '' Ibrahim Abdoulazeb said . `` The young girl can barely swim . '' Another rescuer told France 's Europe 1 radio that the girl was spotted in the rough sea , among bodies and plane debris in darkness , about two hours after the crash . The Airbus 310 plane tried to land at the airport in Moroni , then made a U-turn before it crashed , Comoros Vice President Idi Nadhoim said soon after the accident . A French official said the nation had banned the plane after it failed an aviation inspection in 2007 . `` Since this check-up , we have not seen the plane reappearing in France , '' said Dominique Bussereau , the transport minister . But Yemenia Airlines was not on the European Union 's list of banned airlines , he added . Passengers on the flight included 66 French citizens , 54 Comorians , one Palestinian and one Canadian , according to Yemeni and French officials . The crew was made up of six Yemenis , two Moroccans , one Ethiopian , one Filipino and one Indonesian . The Comoros Islands are between the east African country of Tanzania and the island nation of Madagascar . | Comoros Islands lie between east African and the island nation of Madagascar . Data recorders should contain information to help determine what caused the crash . Teenage girl only person to survive plane crash off Comoros islands . French , U.S. divers are helping to search for debris and bodies from the plane . | [[2616, 2722], [558, 648], [892, 902], [933, 943], [162, 270]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- California legislators plan to keep trying to find consensus on a controversial proposal that would release at least 27,000 inmates from state prisons . California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger , right , and officials tour a prison last week in Chino after a riot there . The California Assembly on Monday delayed a possible vote on the plan . Lawmakers likely will take up the proposal Wednesday or Thursday , said Shannon Murphy , a spokeswoman for Assembly Speaker Karen Bass . `` When we arrive at a responsible plan that can earn the support of the majority of the Assembly and make sense to the people of California , we will take that bill up on the Assembly floor , '' Bass , a Los Angeles Democrat , said in a statement . Bass said legislators continue to meet with each other and law enforcement authorities to try to craft a plan that increases public safety , improves the state corrections department and reduces costs . As part of the negotiations , a provision that would set up a 16-member sentencing commission -- which would put new sentencing guidelines in place by 2012 -- was stripped from the bill , Murphy said . But `` it 's not as if we 're giving up on that notion , '' she said . The sentencing commission is a priority for Bass , she said , but the speaker believes she will have more success if she introduces a separate bill to create it . A panel of three federal judges has ordered California to reduce its prison population by about 40,000 by mid-September . The judges acted on the grounds that overcrowded prisons violate inmates ' constitutional rights . The state Senate voted 21-19 Friday to release several thousand inmates early . That vote came after Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg , a Sacramento Democrat , assured senators the public would be protected from the most violent offenders . `` Of course , we want to keep violent criminals off our streets and out of our communities , and this reform package is a necessary step to do that because it concentrates our incarceration efforts on the violent criminals and ensures that nonviolent offenders have more contact with parole officers , '' Steinberg said Friday . All 15 Senate Republicans voted against the bill , arguing that it undermines public safety . Democrats control both houses of the California Legislature . `` California 's prison system is in a state of crisis , '' Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said last week while touring the California Institution for Men in Chino . Some 250 inmates were injured this month at the facility in a riot that officials said was ignited by racial tension . Fifty-five inmates were taken to hospitals with serious injuries , including stab wounds and head trauma . Schwarzenegger said the riot was `` a terrible symptom of a much larger problem . ... Our prisons are overcrowded and endangering the staff and the inmates . '' The governor noted he had signed a budget that mandates $ 1.2 billion in cuts to the state corrections system . `` We must be measured and smart about how we go about and create those reductions , '' said Schwarzenegger , a Republican . `` We must find a way to cut costs and relieve overcrowding but without sacrificing public safety . '' Steinberg said the bill under debate would save the financially strapped state some $ 524.5 million . Coupled with budget revisions made in July , the savings would total the entire $ 1.2 billion , he said . Republicans said the bill would lead to the release of about 27,000 prisoners , while Democrats estimated it would reduce the prison population by 27,300 in the 2009-10 fiscal year and 37,000 during fiscal year 2010-11 . But Steinberg said the measure also would reduce the ratio of parolees to parole officers to 45-to-1 . Currently , one parole officer is responsible for about 70 parolees , many of whom commit new crimes and return to custody ; the state has a 70 percent recidivism rate . | California Assembly delays vote on plan to release at least 27,000 inmates . Provision setting up sentencing panel stripped from bill , spokeswoman says . State Senate voted last week to release several thousand inmates early . Judges order state to reduce prison population by about 40,000 by mid-September . | [[80, 107], [113, 171], [288, 359], [3441, 3518], [980, 1043], [1101, 1135], [1607, 1686], [1630, 1686], [1386, 1507], [1430, 1472]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Venezuelan Stefania Fernandez was named Miss Universe 2009 , beating out more than 80 other contestants during a pageant held Sunday night in Nassau , Bahamas . Venezuelan Stefania Fernandez was named Miss Universe 2009 on Sunday night . The 18-year-old was crowned by another Venezuelan , Dayana Mendoza , Miss Universe 2008 , marking the first time that two contestants from the same country have won the title in consecutive years . As Miss Universe , Fernandez will have the use of a New York City apartment for the year of her reign , and will receive living expenses . Other prizes include a two-year scholarship at the New York Film Academy ; a vacation for two in the Bahamas ; and a wardrobe , including evening wear , swimsuits and jewelry . The competition involves swimsuit , evening gown and interview phases , which a 12-member panel judged . Miss Dominican Republic , Ada Aimee De La Cruz , was named first runner-up and would assume Fernandez 's duties if she could n't complete her term . | Win marks first time 2 contestants from same country earn title in consecutive years . More than 80 other contestants competed during the pageant . Miss Dominican Republic , Ada Aimee De La Cruz , was named first runner-up . | [[257, 260], [309, 323], [347, 454], [0, 15], [80, 139], [876, 899], [918, 950]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It carries the nickname `` America 's Finest City , '' and right now it appears San Diego is living up to the hype . Growing on the water : San Diego is becoming an increasingly popular super-yacht destination . Though the international financial crisis has precipitated economic woe across the United States , developments in San Diego 's super-yacht industry do n't appear to be slowing . Fifth Avenue Landing , a stylish new facility promising the ultimate docking experience for super-yachts up to 300 feet long , has just opened in city 's downtown area . The marina , which is close to local attractions and top hotels , boasts 12 high-quality berths , each offering a concierge service . This impressive project is just the latest step in a significant development program for the west coast city , which is which is now beginning to compete with its northern neighbor , Los Angeles , as a destination for super-yacht owners . In 2005 , Forbes rated San Diego as the fifth wealthiest city in the U.S. and in the years since , for the super-yacht industry particularly , the region has continued to develop rapidly . Today , the city is buzzing with super-yacht designers , builders , and brokers , and it now has plenty of facilities to accommodate the industry . There 's also the annual `` YachtFest '' show , which will be going ahead in September this year and is expected to attract interest from super-yacht makers and owners around the world . Numerous marinas have sprung up amid the increasing interest in the city , with Kona Kai Marina , Shelter Island Marina , and The Wharf , among some of the most notable developments . Outside of the private super-yacht industry , San Diego is also home to the largest shipyard on the west coast of the U.S. -- General Dynamics ' National Steel and Shipbuilding Company . Many cruise lines pass through the port and there are plans for a new cruise ship terminal to open in 2010 . Much of the success in attracting super-yachts has been credited to the San Diego Super-yacht Association -LRB- SDSA -RRB- -- a collective of local super-yacht designers , builders , brokers and other interested parties that was formed in 2006 . Super-yacht director of Marine Group Boat Works and founding member of the SDSA , Fred Larsson , told CNN that the key to San Diego 's recent profile boost was realizing the economic needs of the industry . `` San Diego had the basic requirements of super-yachts covered already with the natural deep water harbor , year round superb weather , geographic location as the gateway to the Pacific and a wonderful youthful city . Then when you add the super-yacht facility upgrades it 's a no brainer . San Diego has it all , '' he said . Larsson said the SDSA had been instrumental in developments as the combination of shipyards , marinas and suppliers working together means they have a good all-round knowledge of what super-yacht owners want when they come to port . The combination of major refit facility improvements , new marinas , marina expansions and an effective marketing campaign are behind the success , he added . Despite the international financial crisis , which threatens to hurt the super-yacht industry around the world , Larsson said that San Diego should not suffer too much as interest from owners is still growing . `` Due to the sheer size of the city and nearby cities there is so much for owners and crew to do here on their time off , the beaches are fabulous , Vegas is an hour away , there are 100 golf courses in and around San Diego . `` It 's a metropolitan feel with small town charm . That 's what makes us different , '' he said . | A new super-yacht docking facility has recently opened in San Diego . The city has its own super-yacht association , and annual show . San Diego is becoming a rival to Los Angeles as a boating destination . | [[450, 551], [1321, 1403], [1307, 1347], [1408, 1493], [176, 247], [820, 839], [857, 863], [874, 925], [820, 839], [860, 925]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is asking parents to immediately stop using a series of inflatable floats for babies in swimming pools , announcing a voluntary recall of about 4 million floats Thursday . The Squirtin ' Tootin ' Tugboat is among the floats covered by the recall . The items -- which inflate to seat babies and toddlers as they float on water -- are manufactured by Massachusetts-based Aqua Leisure Industries . The company has voluntarily recalled 14 models because the leg straps in the seat of the float can tear , causing children to slip into the water , posing a drowning risk , the commission said in a statement . There have been 31 reports of float seats tearing , though no injuries have been reported , the commission said . The floats were sold from December 2002 through June 2009 at retailers nationwide , including Target , Toys `` R '' Us , Wal-Mart , Dollar General , Kmart , Walgreens , Ace Hardware and Bed , Bath & Beyond . The commission is asking consumers to stop using the floats and to send them back to the company . Aqua Leisure officials could not be immediately reached for comment , but the company 's Web site has posted the commission 's recall advisory . CNN 's Gerri Willis contributed to this report . | Aqua Leisure Industries recalls 14 models . Leg straps can tear , allowing children to slip into the water . Agency says there have been 31 reports of seats tearing . Floats were sold nationwide at many chain retailers . | [[458, 603], [458, 603], [668, 717], [782, 863]] |
RIO DE JANEIRO , Brazil -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thousands of people celebrated Friday on crowded Copacabana beach as the announcement that Brazil had been chosen as the 2016 Olympics host played live over huge screens erected above the sand . Thousands packed Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro after the city learned it will host the Olympics . `` It was a fantastic victory . We beat the big cities . Passion talked louder , '' said one man as he danced to live samba music in front of the stage . Rio de Janeiro beat out Chicago , Tokyo and Madrid to become the first South American city to host the Games , something President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva made clear during his pitch to the International Olympic Committee . `` It is a time to address this imbalance , '' he told committee members making the selection in Copenhagen , Denmark . `` It is time to light the Olympic cauldron in a tropical country . '' Happiness was a big part of Rio 's pitch after it was voted the happiest city in the world by Forbes magazine . On Friday , thousands of people piled onto the beach wearing green and yellow , many with the Brazilian flag painted on their faces . Exuberant Rio de Janeiro is first South American city to host Olympics '' `` I thought that more than to the people , we owe this victory to our President Lula , '' said a woman wearing little more than a bikini . Rio also won points with an ambitious budget and new venues like the Joao Havelange Stadium , which opened for the 2007 Pan American Games . Rio 's jaw-dropping natural beauty helped the city pull ahead of the competition . `` Rio is full of all things quintessentially Brazilian : sun , sand , soccer , samba , sensuality , '' the editorial director of Fodor 's Travel , Laura Kidder , wrote in an e-mail . `` In Rio , it 's about taking each day as it comes and living life to the fullest . '' Erik Torkells , editor for TripAdvisor , the world 's largest online travel community , also praised the city for its social scene before the selection was made . `` If the Olympic Committee wanted to be sure everyone had a good time , they 'd go to Rio , '' Torkells said . The selection also had its critics in Brazil . `` I do n't think it 's appropriate considering what our country is going through , '' said Orlando Pinto , a social worker . `` We do n't have good health services , education ; we have transportation problems , housing problems , crime problems . '' Security and traffic remain enormous challenges to overcome in Rio de Janeiro . But it was all celebration on Friday as crowds continued to stream onto the beach after the announcement was made . | Thousands celebrate Rio de Janeiro win at Copacabana beach . `` We owe this victory to our President Lula , '' woman at celebration says . Rio de Janeiro offered ambitious budget and new venues . City also emphasized that Olympics have never been held in South America . | [[56, 128], [238, 340], [1049, 1076], [2526, 2603], [1235, 1317]] |
CABANATUAN CITY , Philippines -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Typhoon Parma crossed the northern tip of the already storm-battered Philippines Saturday afternoon and early Sunday , killing three people , according to local media . A NASA satellite image shows Typhoon Parma as it headed toward the Philippines on Friday . Parma made landfall Saturday afternoon in a rural region of fishermen and farmers in Luzon , the largest of the Philippine islands . Tens of thousands of people to fled their homes for safer shelter . Winds whipped the coastline and felled power lines in northernmost Cagayan Province . Debris littered the roads , making evacuations even more difficult . At 5 a.m. Sunday -LRB- 5 p.m. Saturday ET -RRB- , Parma , known locally as Typhoon Pepeng , had maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour -LRB- 75 mph -RRB- with gusts as high as 148 kilometers -LRB- 92 mph -RRB- as the eye began to leave land , heading to the northeast , according to the U.S. Navy 's Joint Typhoon Warning Center . Parma avoided a direct hit on heavily populated Manila , but the real menace in the Philippines capital was not wind . It was water , and there was no escape from it . Parma was expected to dump as much as 8 to 20 inches of rain in areas still water-logged from last week 's Typhoon Ketsana . That storm resulted in the heaviest rainfall in 40 years and at one point , 80 percent of Manila was submerged . Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro appealed to Filipinos to remain in shelters even if they were in cities and towns not directly in Parma 's path . He said he was worried about massive flooding and possible mudslides in mountainous regions . The government deployed 10,000 troops to help with rescue and relief operations as frightened Filipinos prepared for the worst . World Vision , the Christian humanitarian organization , was planning to launch relief operations Saturday evening in Isabela Province , one of the areas slammed by Parma . The group also plans assistance for nearby Cagayan province , whose capital , Tuguegarao , is being hit hard by Parma 's strong winds . Arturo Fidelino , a telecommunications executive in Manila , described panicked people rushing to stock up on essential goods -- drinking water , canned food and electrical supplies . `` We had a traumatic experience when we had Ketsana , '' he said . `` We do n't want that to happen again . '' President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo placed the country `` under the state of calamity . '' Macapagal-Arroyo said disaster-relief crews in vulnerable areas must be equipped with life-saving kits , boats , portable generators and trucks . Ketsana , which swallowed whole houses and buses over the weekend , killed 246 in the Philippines . It later strengthened into a typhoon . An additional 38 are missing , the National Disaster Coordinating Council said . The storm affected nearly 2 million people and forced the evacuation of 567,000 . CNN 's Eunice Yoon and Pamela Boykoff in Cabantuan City , and Josh Levs in Atlanta contributed to this report . | NEW : 3 dead in Philippines from Typhoon Parma , local media report . Storm heads to sea after crossing northern Philippines . Tens of thousands of Filipinos sought shelter in evacuation centers . The biggest threat was rain in areas water-logged by Typhoon Ketsana . | [[0, 39], [168, 188], [0, 39], [191, 217], [49, 165], [442, 509], [1176, 1181], [1195, 1264], [1252, 1257], [1258, 1300]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For someone who seems to go to great lengths to keep his private life away from prying eyes , late-night talk show host David Letterman has seen a great deal of his personal life become public . David Letterman has mined private events in his life for very public jokes on his show . Heart problems , a troubled stalker and a plot to kidnap his son have all landed Letterman in the news and provided fodder for jokes , including some of his own . The latest , an alleged extortion attempt involving his sexual dalliances -LRB- it 's been dubbed `` sextortion '' by pundits -RRB- , was handled very much the way Letterman fans might expect : with humor and a bit of storytelling . `` He told it as a story that you felt like you were living along with him , and so I think he immediately won your sympathy by telling it that way , '' said Hal Boedeker , TV critic for the Orlando Sentinel . `` He also took the seedy factor out of it with restraint by not saying too much and trying to protect the people he was involved with . '' Watch Letterman tell what happened '' Letterman revealed on his show Thursday night that he 'd had sexual relations with members of his staff and that he had testified about those liaisons before a New York grand jury for a case involving the alleged attempted extortion . A CBS producer , Robert `` Joe '' Halderman , has been charged with first-degree attempted grand larceny ; officials said he threatened to go public with the 62-year-old funnyman 's dalliances unless Letterman paid $ 2 million . Halderman pleaded not guilty Friday . The revelation , which Letterman shared with the audience of the `` Late Show , '' seemed especially shocking given his reputation as the self-deprecating everyman . `` Letterman picked up on -LSB- that shock -RSB- and played on that , '' said Robert Thompson , a professor and founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University . `` It was the weirdest 10 minutes of television I 've seen in a long time , and yet I think I 've concluded that it was brilliant . '' Watch `` Larry King Live '' guest host Jim Moret talk to panel about Letterman case '' Letterman has had plenty of experience dealing with awkward , and sometimes painful , episodes on television . Beginning in the 1980s , he was stalked by Margaret Ray , a woman with schizophrenia who often broke into his New Canaan , Connecticut , home , wrote him letters and once stole his Porsche . Letterman would sometimes joke about her -- without using her name -- on his show and told The New York Times that was because he joked about every public aspect of his life . Ray would refer to herself as `` Mrs. David Letterman '' and once watched the talk show host and his now-wife Regina Lasko from a hallway in their home as they lay in bed . Ray committed suicide in 1998 ; Letterman offered his condolences on-air to her family . Though Letterman was quoted as saying Ray 's actions were usually more odd than frightening , a plot in 2005 to kidnap his then-toddler son proved to be more alarming . Kelly A. Frank , an ex-con who had done some work at Letterman 's Deep Creek Ranch in Montana , was charged with planning to kidnap Letterman 's son , Harry , and his nanny . Frank pleaded guilty to lesser charges and was sentenced to 10 years in jail . In 2007 , he escaped and was later captured . Thompson said Letterman has shown that he is able to rise above his troubles , including emergency bypass surgery in 2000 , with a healthy dose of comedy . This latest incident was no different , Thompson observed . `` The interesting thing is that he never went out of comic mode , '' Thompson said . `` His magnum opus was when he was the first late-night comedian to come back after September 11th ... and he did it brilliantly . All of the other comics who came on in the following weeks followed him exactly . '' He kept Thursday 's tale so light , Thompson said , that many who may not have been aware of the news would have thought it was just another Letterman bit . `` I think he realized that we are so cynical and so disbelieving of this long string of people apologizing for stuff like this , '' Thompson said . `` We do n't believe it anymore , and we think they are only doing it for public relations . But he did n't handle it that way , and he delivered it in such a way that it came across as light-hearted and sincere . '' Glenn Selig , founder of the Publicity Agency , said that from a crisis-management perspective , Letterman handled his most recent incident well . `` I think the fact that he put it out there in his own way , in his own terms with the timing that he wanted to do it , that was the best way to go , '' Selig said . `` He tried to interject some humor and self-deprecation into it , which I think takes the wind out of those who may have tried to knock him down , because he was already knocking himself down . '' And although more intimate , and embarrassing , details may be revealed as the case continues , critic Boedeker said he thinks Letterman , his show and his career will come out well . `` I think his fans are , for the most part , pretty forgiving , '' Boedeker said . `` He 's always made fun of himself and his looks . It 's not as if he has set himself up as some paragon of virtue , and I really do n't think this will hurt him in the long run . '' A representative for Letterman 's company , Worldwide Pants , said , `` All the relationships David Letterman was referencing when discussing the matter on the ` Late Show ' predated his marriage to Regina '' in March . | Alleged plot against David Letterman is n't first time private woes made public . Letterman was once stalked and his young son targeted for kidnapping . Media expert : Letterman handled reveal of alleged extortion brilliantly . TV critic says he believes that fans will be `` pretty forgiving '' | [[180, 213], [343, 367], [320, 349], [368, 372], [384, 405], [320, 349], [377, 405], [2299, 2354], [3022, 3077], [3097, 3111], [3183, 3271], [4438, 4449], [4486, 4584], [5137, 5177]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For the past decade , Microsoft researcher Gordon Bell has been moving the data from his brain onto computers -- where he knows it will be safe . Gordon Bell wearing a SenseCam , which automatically records photos throughout the day . Sure , you could say all of us do this to some extent . We save digital pictures from family events and keep tons of e-mail . But Bell , who is 75 years old , takes the idea of digital memory to a sci-fi-esque extreme . He carries around video equipment , cameras and audio recorders to capture his conversations , commutes , trips and experiences . Microsoft is working on a SenseCam that would hang around a person 's neck and automatically capture every detail of life in photo form . Bell has given that a whirl . He also saves everything -- from restaurant receipts -LRB- he takes pictures of them -RRB- to correspondence , bills and medical records . He makes PDF files out of every Web page he views . In sum , this mountain of data -- more than 350 gigabytes worth , not including the streaming audio and video -- is a replica of Bell 's biological memory . It 's actually better , he says , because , if you back up your data in enough places , this digitized `` e-memory '' never forgets . It 's like having a multimedia transcript of your life . By about 2020 , he says , our entire life histories will be online and searchable . Location-aware smartphones and inexpensive digital memory storage in the `` cloud '' of the Internet make the transition possible and inevitable . No one will have to fret about storing the details of their lives in their heads anymore . We 'll have computers for that . And this revolution will `` change what it means to be human , '' he writes . Bell , who , along with fellow researcher Jim Gemmell , is the author of a new book called `` Total Recall , '' talked with CNN about the advantages and drawbacks of recording one 's life in painstaking digital detail . The following is an edited transcript . CNN : What have you learned about yourself through this process ? That 's been a really hard question to answer . ... The main driver of the recall turns out to be a -LSB- computer -RSB- screensaver or something where I go looking for -LSB- a digital memory -RSB- and I find something else . I guess it 's the rich set of connections and people that I 've been involved with . CNN : What do you use to record your memories ? In a way , most of what happens during the day is sort of routine -- what you 've done before . So I carry the SenseCam only when I think there 's an episode or a sequence or a certain set of events that I want to capture and have automatically photographed . But I tend to always carry a camera with me . I live next to a fire station and I 've got lots of photos of the hook and ladder coming out of the house . And I like food so I tend to photograph wonderfully presented food all the time . To me those are very pleasant memories . CNN : If we rely on computers instead of our brains , will humans become mentally sluggish ? That 's certainly one of the concerns . I tend to counter that theory . To me , I feel a lot freer . In a way I feel like I still remember all that stuff , but I generally remember that -LSB- the computer is -RSB- remembering something for me so I can find it . People have no memory of phone numbers now because of the cell phone -- their address book is in a cell phone . So I do n't think they 're getting any worse or any less facile about that . What an e-memory does , to me , is gives me a really wonderful free feeling . CNN : If we all record audio of our lives , do you think conversations will become stilted and fake ? I think there will be a lot of court cases and lawyering around all of that . I 'm personally less hung up about that . Certainly , people my age and Baby Boomers are . But the current X-Generation , -LSB- they think -RSB- this is pretty natural . CNN : Are you on Facebook and Twitter ? Yeah , I 'm on Facebook and Twitter and occasionally I will tweet something . Somehow my problem is that I do n't think I have anything interesting to tweet about . CNN : Should all of our memories and observations be public ? Absolutely not . Our own memories are our own private thing , and how much you choose to have on Facebook or blogs , that 's your thing . CNN : What does your family think about your effort to record everything ? Gradually , everybody is getting this idea . ... Think of it : You are a librarian for your life . Somebody has to be the family librarian . CNN : Are you worried about losing your memory ? ... Forgetting is not a feature , it 's a flaw . I do n't think forgetting is an important feature of human memory . I think it 's important to be able to remember things accurately . CNN : Are there any memories you deleted ? No . When we were scanning stuff I had written a memo about a company , an unpleasant company -- probably the only company I was ever ashamed to be a part of . ... I put a note on that file that said , `` Do n't ever scan or copy this ! '' My assistant who was doing the scanning ran across this and said , `` What do you want me to do with this ? '' And I said , `` Well , gee . This is my life . '' I said , `` It 's OK , just go ahead . '' So it 's all there . CNN : Do you think it 's possible for people to turn away from new technologies ? Or are advances like `` Total Recall '' inevitable ? I think it 's inevitable because so much content is being created . Virtually everything is coming in digitally -- everything from your photos to your videos to your music . ... I will love that day when the world is just bits . It 's the ultimate in green , by the way . | Microsoft researcher Gordon Bell argues we will soon have searchable memories . Bell details his ideas in a new co-authored book called `` Total Recall '' Bell has been recording almost every detail of his life digitally for a decade . | [[1817, 1834], [1836, 1850], [39, 128], [5502, 5545]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Looking directly at the man who murdered his 9-year-old daughter , Mark Lunsford told John Evander Couey , `` I hope you hear her cry as you try to sleep at night . '' `` You will never hurt another child again , '' Lunsford said in testimony Tuesday in a Florida court hearing where a judge will decide whether to give Couey the death penalty . Jessica Lunsford , seen in an undated family photo , was 9 when she was abducted and killed . She disappeared in 2005 from her home in Homosassa , Florida . His eyes fixed on Couey , Lunsford continued , `` For 29 months , my daughter has heard me cry and begged God to stop the pain in my heart . '' Addressing Florida Circuit Court Judge Ric Howard , Lunsford pleaded for Couey to die for his crime . Then he turned back to the man who took his daughter . Watch Lunsford 's emotional testimony '' `` I hope you see the tears at night when she asked you -LSB- if she could -RSB- go home . You will never hurt another child again . '' Lunsford spent much time talking about memories of Jesse Lunsford . `` I can remember when she was about 1 year old and would give me kisses and hugs and steal the raisins from my cereal , '' he said . `` From bumps to bruises , from Band-Aids to bicycles , she was a tomboy with her daddy and a very nice little lady for her grandmother . '' The hearing will continue Wednesday . Couey 's attorneys are trying to convince Howard that Couey is mentally incompetent and should be spared the death penalty . `` That 's a cop-out , '' Lunsford said Tuesday on Larry King Live . `` He is not retarded . '' The father said he wants Couey to die for his crime . King asked him if he would attend the execution by lethal injection . `` I 'd hold the syringe if they 'd let me , '' he answered . But a prosecution expert testified Tuesday that the convicted killer had an IQ of between 80 and 90 , about low average . `` My opinion is that he is not mentally retarded , '' said Dr. Greg Pritchard , a clinical psychologist . Couey was convicted in March on charges of kidnapping , raping and murdering Jessica . The jury voted 10-2 to recommend the death penalty . In Florida , the vote does not have to be unanimous to recommend the death penalty . The judge is expected to sentence Couey next month . Jessica Lunsford disappeared in February 2005 from her home in Homosassa . Her body was found three weeks later in a shallow grave outside a mobile home about 100 yards from where she lived . Couey , a convicted sex offender , was staying nearby in a trailer with his half-sister . Couey kidnapped the girl from her bedroom and later , in a taped confession , admitted that he buried the child alive . `` I went out there one night and dug a hole and put her in it . Buried her , '' he said . She was found wrapped in garbage bags , holding a stuffed toy dolphin , her hands bound with stereo wire . Jessica died from asphyxiation after being sexually assaulted , according to a medical examiner 's report . The judge ruled the confession was inadmissible in court because Couey had asked for a lawyer the day before he told police he committed the crime . Evidence at the trial included Jessica 's fingerprints in a closet in Couey 's trailer and DNA from Jessica 's blood and Couey 's semen on a mattress in his bedroom . Lunsford has led a push for stricter sex offender laws since his daughter 's death . Then-Gov . Jeb Bush signed the Jessica Lunsford Act into Florida law . The 2005 legislation calls for prison sentences of 25 years to life for sex offenses against children under age 12 , better registration of convicted sex offenders and a Global Positioning System notification mechanism to track down probation violators . Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed similar legislation Monday . E-mail to a friend . | Mark Lunsford testifies at sentencing hearing for 9-year-old daughter 's killer . Jury recommended death for John Evander Couey . Couey was convicted of kidnapping , raping , killing Jessica Lunsford . Couey 's attorney says he 's mentally incompetent . | [[39, 46], [51, 83], [232, 296], [2104, 2156], [39, 46], [51, 83], [2017, 2070], [2017, 2022], [2084, 2103], [1381, 1464]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Americans appear to actually thrive on adversity , according to a study published this week that reached the conclusion after researching the nation 's biggest economic downturn . This sculpture at the FDR Memorial in Washington depicts men waiting in a Great Depression bread line . Life expectancy during the peak years of the Great Depression increased 6.2 years -- from 57.1 years in 1929 to 63.3 years in 1933 -- according to University of Michigan researchers Jose A. Tapia Granados and Ana Diez Roux . The increase applied to men and women , whites and non-whites . The team crunched data from the federal government and concluded that `` population health did not decline and indeed generally improved during the four years of the Great Depression , 1930-1933 , with mortality decreasing for almost all ages , and life expectancy increasing by several years in males , females , whites , and non-whites . '' For most age groups , `` mortality tended to peak during years of strong economic expansion -LRB- such as 1923 , 1926 , 1929 and 1936-1937 -RRB- , '' they wrote in the `` Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . '' `` The finding is strong and counterintuitive , '' said Tapia Granados , the lead author of the study . `` Most people assume that periods of high unemployment are harmful to health . '' The researchers used historical life expectancy and mortality data to examine the association between economic growth and population health from 1920 to 1940 . Though population health improved during 1930-1933 and during the recessions of 1921 and 1938 , mortality -- the death rate -- increased and life expectancy fell during times of economic expansion , such as 1923 , 1926 , 1929 and 1936-1937 , they wrote . The researchers looked at mortality rates due to six causes of death that made up two-thirds of total mortality in the 1930s : cardiovascular and kidney diseases , cancer , influenza and pneumonia , tuberculosis , motor vehicle injuries and suicide . Only suicide went up during economic downturns , they said , citing the recession years 1921 , 1932 and 1938 , but suicides accounted for less than 2 percent of total deaths . Those years were marked by high unemployment ; the nation experienced its highest unemployment rate of 22.9 percent in 1932 , they wrote . Yet from 1920 to 1940 , life expectancy increased 8.8 years . The authors speculated about possible explanations for why population health tends to improve during recessions but not expansions . `` During expansions , firms are very busy , and they typically demand a lot of effort from employees , who are required to work a lot of overtime , and to work at a fast pace , '' Tapia Granados said . `` This can create stress , which is associated with more drinking and smoking . '' In addition , new , inexperienced workers may be more likely to become injured ; workers may sleep less and adopt less healthy eating habits , he said . Further , boom times may translate into more industrial pollution , which can take a toll on populations ' health , he said . During recessions , with less work to do , employees may work slower , sleep longer and spend more time with family and friends , he said . With less money , they may spend less on alcohol and tobacco . The researchers pointed out that their work looked at the relationship between recessions and mortality on a macro level and was not predictive for any one person . The findings may apply to others , too . Tapia Granados , 53 , whose work was self-funded , said he has carried out similar studies that looked at Japan , Spain and Sweden . `` In the three of them , it was the same , '' he said . | Study : Life expectancy rose , mortality dropped during Great Depression . Opposite happened during surrounding times of economic expansion , study shows . Study examined population health from 1920 to 1940 . Speculation : In hard times , more sleep , less money for drinking and smoking . | [[0, 15], [70, 90], [303, 384], [388, 433], [592, 642], [647, 922], [0, 15], [70, 90], [3246, 3290]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Madame Tussauds unveiled a wax figure of Michael Jackson on Thursday , showing the late entertainer in a pose from the concerts he had planned to hold this month . The new waxwork of Michael Jackson -- only Queen Elizabeth II has been portrayed more times by Madame Tussauds . Sculptors at the wax museum started working on the figure four months ago . They had intended to display it this month , to coincide with the start of Jackson 's `` This is It '' comeback tour in London . The new figure is modeled on a Jackson pose from the concert poster , the museum said . It shows him `` arms outstretched , pelvis thrusting and tip-toed , with his trademark trilby angled forward , '' the museum said . It is the 13th Jackson waxwork by Madame Tussauds , the museum said . Only Britain 's Queen Elizabeth II -- who has been on the throne for almost 60 years -- has been portrayed more often . `` It is extremely unusual for a personality to have been portrayed so many times , '' said Madame Tussauds spokeswoman Liz Edwards . `` But Michael Jackson was totally unique and his iconic status made him one of the most popular stars here . '' The London museum has two other Jackson waxworks -- one in a pose from `` Thriller '' and another from his `` Dangerous '' album . The other 10 Jackson waxworks are in other Madame Tussauds museums around the world . The museum said it decided to proceed with the figure after Jackson 's death last month `` as a tribute to one of the greatest musicians of all time and to celebrate his amazing 40-year career . '' | Waxwork is the 13th of Jackson unveiled by the London tourist attraction . Model had been commissioned before singer 's death to coincide with London concerts . Only Queen Elizabeth II has been portrayed more often by the museum . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [36, 104], [738, 787], [478, 517], [200, 234], [249, 312], [808, 842], [887, 927]] |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.