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ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Are you one of the seemingly few Americans in the market for a car ? There are more of you out there than you might think . Clark Howard : Before jumping at all the new car deals , think about the bigger picture of car ownership costs . CNW Marketing Research , a respected automotive marketing research firm , reports that 4 million used cars were purchased in the United States during the month of May alone . That 's amazing when you consider that the market for new cars is 9 million in the United States over the course of an entire 12 months . Yet do n't overlook the new car as a potential purchase just yet . New data from Comerica Bank 's Auto Affordability Index shows that new cars are now the most affordable they 've been since records started being kept in 1979 . In fact , the average new car is now $ 1,700 cheaper than it was during the last quarter of 2008 . And we 've got more price cuts coming because of oversupply . As you probably know , I 'm a used car guy , the self-proclaimed champion of driving a car until the wheels fall off . So I ca n't believe the advice that I am about to give ... but it 's now possible to get a better deal on a brand new car than on a relatively new used car . Watch Clark Howard talk to a woman who learned what not to do when buying a used car '' It 's really just a classic case of supply and demand . The used car market is up about 23 percent , and new car sales are down 34 percent , according to CNW . More new cars on dealer lots mean more deals for you . But realize this : It 's just a temporary phenomenon . Do not take this blip on the radar as gospel for the future ; in most instances , a used car will almost always be a better buy . Just not right now . When buying a new vehicle , you want to start by arranging your financing first . Go to your bank or credit union and prequalify for a car loan or apply online . This will tell you how much car you can afford and what type of monthly payment you will have to budget . Next , you want to get a price for the car you have in mind . In the past , I 've talked about using CarsDirect.com to get a guaranteed quote . A car dealer then can do his or her best to beat that online quote and win your business . In some cases , the price from CarsDirect.com winds up being the best a consumer can get . But now there 's a new kid on the block known as Zag.com . This service gives buyers instant guaranteed upfront prices from a network of certified dealers . It also offers an easy delivery process that helps you avoid `` the grind '' at a dealership . Do you know what `` the grind '' is ? That 's when you 're at a dealer lot , and the sales representative says he or she will go talk to the manager about getting you the best deal . Instead they go watch TV for five minutes , and then come back and tell you that the manager could n't help out with a good price -- despite their best efforts on your behalf . That 's why sites such as Zag and CarsDirect are so appealing ; they take you out of the car dealers ' ballpark and put you on level playing ground . But before you jump at all the new car deals , take a moment to think about the bigger picture of car ownership costs . It 's more than just the sticker price and the expense of gas . AAA reports that the true annual cost of owning and operating a car is $ 9,369 . Ouch . That $ 9,369 takes into account somewhat hidden costs such as insurance , maintenance , interest on a car note , depreciation and other factors . Hey , maybe driving your current car until the wheels fall off is still a great idea . | Four million used cars reportedly purchased in the U.S. during May . Average new car is $ 1,700 cheaper than during the last quarter of 2008 , data shows . Clark Howard : Arrange financing first to see how much car you can afford . AAA reports the annual cost of owning and operating a car is $ 9,369 . | [[274, 296], [348, 448], [825, 913], [1762, 1787], [1790, 1843], [3302, 3382], [3319, 3382]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Do you need to borrow to fund a college education for yourself or your child ? Be sure you 're taking my `` Clark Smart '' approach to borrowing . Clark Howard : If a four-year college is too cost prohibitive , try a two-year institution at a fraction of the cost . Subsidized Stafford loans are the single best source of money you can borrow . The interest is picked up by the federal government -- courtesy of your fellow taxpayers -- while you 're in school and for a six-month grace period following graduation . Once the loans go into repayment , subsidized Stafford loans taken out during the 2009-10 school year carry a fixed interest rate of 5.6 percent . The rate will be lower still at 4.5 percent for loans originating during the next school year , and all the way down to 3.4 percent the following year . There are , however , limits to the amount you can borrow . Freshman can get up to $ 3,500 annually ; sophomores can borrow $ 4,500 each year ; and juniors and seniors cap out at $ 5,500 . Once you exhaust your subsidized Stafford stockpile , you want to move on to unsubsidized Stafford loans , which are now offered at 6.8 percent . Remember , though , to borrow as little as possible because the interest on these unsubsidized loans accumulates while you 're in school . Watch smart choices when paying back the loans '' As a third option , parents can take out PLUS loans , which are issued at a fixed rate of 8.25 percent . Visit FAFSA.ed.gov to determine your eligibility for all these loan options . What 's one type of loan you do not want to take out ? Private student loans . Back in 2005 , the private student loan industry used its political influence to gain the right to use any and all tactics -LRB- short of threatening bodily harm or actually causing it -RRB- in their efforts to collect money . In fact , private student loans typically ca n't even be dismissed in bankruptcy . Remember my rule of thumb when it comes to determining what level of borrowing you can comfortably handle : Do not take on a total loan amount that exceeds the likely first-year earnings in your field . If college is still too cost-prohibitive after you 've gotten all the financial aid and loans you can , I 'd love for you to think about starting your degree at a two-year community college . The cost of a community college can be as little as one-tenth to one-twentieth that of a private college , as I discovered when I researched schools with my eldest daughter . Let 's say you decide to do your first two years at a community college . People often worry about the lack of prestige associated with these kinds of schools . But most employers only look at the name of the traditional college that issues your degree after you 've put in your time at a community school . In fact , an employer might even prefer someone who worked their way through a community college and had to struggle financially . Does n't that show more fortitude in a job candidate than the person who cruised through a 4-year college on the silver-spoon plan ? And for those of you already dealing with paying off student loan debt , there 's a radical change coming that I want you to know about . Effective July 1 , an income-based repayment plan -LRB- IBR -RRB- became available to borrowers with Stafford loans and Grad PLUS loans . Under the new program , your payment will be based on your current income and family size . That means your monthly payment could be an unprecedented zero dollars if you qualify ! Contact your lender to see if you qualify and to apply for the IBR . In addition to the IBR , other new provisions that went into effect July 1 include loan forgiveness options for certain workers . Nonprofit workers and some government employees are eligible for loan forgiveness after making on-time monthly payments for 10 years . If you work in the traditional for-profit sector , it will take 25 years of on-time payments before you 're eligible for loan forgiveness . Visit LoanConsolidation.ed.gov for more information . | Interest on subsidized Stafford loans picked up by government while in school . Next best options are unsubsidized Stafford loans and PLUS loans with fixed rates . Howard warns against private student loans . | [[382, 433], [1043, 1094], [1097, 1147]] |
SHENZHEN , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The white BMW Mr. Liu drives around this humid coastal city in southern China may be real , but the spiffy little black smart phone he carries with him is definitely fake . Phone clones : China 's `` bandit '' mobile phone market is huge . `` But it has Bluetooth , GPS , Wi-Fi , FM radio , a digital video camera , hundreds of games , even a voice recorder , '' says Liu . `` And I invested over $ 500,000 to make it . '' Liu , a 31-year-old who studied fine arts in college and designs cigarette cartons on the side , is one of countless thousands here who 've earned big bucks manufacturing `` gray market '' mobile phones , millions of which are not only being sold across China but also exported to dozens of developing countries in Africa , Latin America , the Middle East and other regions around the world . `` They are everywhere , '' said Karl Weaver , a wireless evangelist and mobile device specialist for the Chinese handset ecosystem . `` You can find them in major department stores and malls , in back alleys and in underground markets . Everyone is selling them . It is really very entrepreneurial . '' In 2008 , an estimated 150 million , or 20 percent , of the 750 million handsets produced in China were either counterfeit or off-brand phones , according to CCID Consulting , a market research firm based in Beijing . Of those , over 51 million were sold in China while the remainder were sent to foreign markets . Known here as `` shanzhai ji '' , or bandit phones , China 's gray market handset industry was virtually non-existent just a few years ago . While a handful of illegal companies produced black market mobiles , they often were of poor quality mainly because the technology needed to make them was hard to come by and even harder to master . This all changed in 2005 when Mediatek , a microchip design company from Taiwan , developed what experts call a turnkey solution -- a platform that integrated many complex mobile phone software systems onto a single chip . This made it much easier and cheaper to build handsets and churn out new models at astounding speeds . '' -LSB- Mediatek -RSB- basically commoditized the entire market , '' said Jonathan Li , founder of Shanghai-based technology design studio Asentio Design . `` They made it really simple and really cheap to make your own phone . Almost anybody could do it . '' The shanzhai business got another boost a couple of years later when the Chinese government relaxed regulations limiting the number of companies that could manufacture handsets , lowering the entry barrier for hundreds of entrepreneurs eager to have a piece of the world 's biggest mobile phone market . `` It is so easy to do because this whole ecosystem is in China , '' said Weaver . `` It is n't so complex for a guy to figure out by watching how the global supply chain works in the mobile handset space to do his own thing . '' Small operations , big rewards . By 2008 , an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 shanzhai businesses had emerged , many with fewer than a dozen employees operating in offices sometimes comprised only of a back bedroom in a small apartment or basement of a private home . Some blatantly copy major brands , producing knock-offs with slight twists in their names , others come up with special makes of their own . Either way , the shanzhai phenomenon has not gone unnoticed by legitimate handset manufacturers . The gray market phones , which typically sell for around $ 100 , have already driven down the prices of brand name mobiles and are beginning to take away their market share , too . `` You can not compete with them . You ca n't , '' said an employee of Chinese telecom equipment maker Huawei Technologies who spoke on the condition of anonymity . `` It is almost impossible to make a profit -LSB- from handsets -RSB- now because of shanzhai . '' Some manufacturers , like Nokia , say they are working with the Chinese government to crackdown on the counterfeiting companies as well as raise awareness about the potential dangers of the fake phones , some of which have had exploding batteries or expose consumers to abnormal amounts of radiation . `` We have a very good working relationship with the Chinese authorities , '' Lucy Nichols , Nokia 's global director of intellectual property rights and brand protection , told CNN . `` They recognize this is an issue that needs to be addressed . '' Aside from also trying to highlight the risks of using shanzhai mobile phones , Beijing has yet to take serious steps to curtail the proliferation of the underground mobile phone industry . Some experts say this is because the companies involved in it blur the boundaries between legitimate and illegitimate enterprises . Even though they may still partake in shady practices , such as evading taxes , avoiding safety checks and using pirated software , a growing number of bandit phone firms are becoming licensed , creating brands with nearly as much recognition as established domestic ones . And whether licensed or not , nearly all the grey market firms place orders with mobile phone component companies that work with major manufacturers as well , which keeps factories up and running especially as handset sales plummet amidst the economic downturn . Not just faking it . Many shanzhai companies have begun to move beyond mere copying and into the realm of creativity . Some have been developed to suit the needs of the local market , with two slots for SIM cards for businesspeople traveling between Taiwan , Hong Kong and the mainland . View the gallery of the phones '' Some have gimmicky appearances , like cigarettes boxes or watches , but others have special lights that can be used to identify fake money , large screens and keypads for the elderly or extra loud speakers for farmers who may not be able to hear their phones while working outside . `` This is an important way to cultivate grassroots innovation , '' said Jack Linchuan Qiu , a communications professor at Chinese University of Hong Kong who has studied the shanzhai industry . `` There is a lot of raw power in the development of these bandit phones that could be channeled into normal , productive creativity from the bottom up . '' Fierce competition among bandit phone firms continues to drive prices down while prices for more advanced technology continues to go up , causing many of the companies to close simply because they ca n't make the margins they did a couple of years ago . Thousands of shanzhai companies have disappeared in recent months or have moved into new areas of opportunity , making shanzhai laptops and digital cameras . Mr. Liu is now planning his exit strategy , too . He says he is not sure what he 'll do next , but whatever it is , he hopes it will involve making lots of money . `` I am trying to realize a big dream , '' he said . `` But every success has a shortcut . '' | One fifth of 750 million mobile phones produced in China thought to be ` fake ' New microchip allowed phones to be made cheaper , better and develop new models . Big name manufacturers working with Chinese gov. to crack down on counterfeiting . Despite legal gray area , growing number of bandit phone firms are becoming legit . | [[1212, 1254], [1156, 1163], [1166, 1236], [1255, 1298], [1156, 1163], [1166, 1236], [1301, 1329], [2034, 2136], [3877, 3908], [3911, 4078], [4884, 4944]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Forget Hollywood special effects or Impressionist paintings -- some of the most stunning images are created by the mysterious and often violent forces in the universe . The Butterfly Nebula is about 3,800 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius . Witness the handful of new snapshots taken by the Hubble Space Telescope , which was equipped with a new imaging camera during a space shuttle servicing mission in May . It 's back in business and there 's lots to ooh and aah over . `` Let there be no doubt , this is truly Hubble 's new beginning , '' said Ed Weiler , NASA 's associate administrator , during a news conference Wednesday . Take the image on the left of planetary nebula NGC 6302 , also known as the Bug Nebula or the Butterfly Nebula . Its `` wings '' are made of gas heated to more than 36,000 degrees Fahrenheit and there is a dying star at its center . `` The gas is tearing across space at more than 600,000 miles an hour -- fast enough to travel from Earth to the moon in 24 minutes , '' NASA 's Web site says . The `` butterfly '' is more than 2 light-years across . NASA took advantage of the special filters on Hubble 's camera to isolate the light of different elements , said Bob O'Connell , chair of the science oversight committee for Wide Field Camera 3 . The red in the image is nitrogen gas , for example , and the blue is oxygen . See some of the previous amazing images taken by Hubble . Colors are also prominent in the image of globular star cluster Omega Centauri , which contains almost 10 million stars , but the color contrast here is real . The gold dots are stars like our sun , but the blue ones are extremely hot , while the red ones are cool , O'Connell said . `` Just by looking at the color of the stars in the picture , you can sort them by temperature and evolutionary state because the temperature differences here are caused by differences in the internal structure of these stars and in the kinds of fuels they 're burning deep inside of them , '' O'Connell said . Another image shows Stephan 's Quintet , a group of five galaxies -- some of which are 290 million light-years away in the constellation Pegasus . Over time , those galaxies will eventually merge into a single big galaxy , O'Connell said . Finally , images of a stellar nursery as seen in visible and infrared light reveal the secrets inside the Carina Nebula , located 7,500 light-years away . `` This is a cloud of dense material which is being bombarded by intense radiation from surrounding stars , '' O'Connell said . `` But dissolve to infrared and the cloud disappears . ... An energetic infant star is being formed inside this cloud . '' Hubble is expected to continue its mission for at least five more years . | Hubble Space Telescope was equipped with a new imaging camera in May . New snapshots show beautiful images from the universe . Butterfly Nebula is more than 2 light-years across . Star cluster Omega Centauri contains millions of colorful stars . | [[316, 347], [354, 442], [296, 345], [1058, 1113], [1488, 1524], [1533, 1565]] |
The state you live in may affect your state of mind , according to new report that shows that rates of stress , depression , and emotional problems vary by geographic region . Where you live may affect your state of mind , according to a new mental health report . That 's good news if you live in Hawaii , where only 6.6 percent of people report frequent mental distress . Not-so-good news for those in Kentucky : In the Bluegrass State , 14.4 percent of people said they frequently experienced mental distress -- the highest prevalence in the country . Frequent mental distress is defined as having 14 or more mentally unhealthy days during the previous 30-day period . The researchers were surprised that the study , which will be published in the June 2009 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine , showed such a broad range in mental distress depending on geographic location . `` The occurrence of frequent mental distress in adults differs much more than expected among the residents of U.S. states and counties , '' said lead researcher Dr. Matthew M. Zack , of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta , Georgia . People who have frequent mental distress may have treatable and preventable mental illnesses or problems , and social programs or interventions may help , Zack said . Health.com : How stress may affect psoriasis . In the study , the researchers looked at rates of mental distress by state among 2.4 million adults across two time periods -- 1993 through 2001 and 2003 through 2006 -- as part of the ongoing Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System study . Overall , the prevalence for frequent mental distress across both time periods was 9.4 percent , with the lowest rate in Hawaii and the highest rate in Kentucky . Why the difference ? It may be because residents in some areas of the country are more likely than others to have health conditions such as disability or diabetes , untreated mental conditions like anxiety or depression , high unemployment rates , risky behaviors including cigarette smoking and alcohol abuse , and/or social circumstances such as lower incomes . Health.com : Manic spending puts bipolar patients at risk for financial woes . An area centered on Kentucky showed high levels of frequent mental distress that remained elevated over time , while in other parts of the country -LRB- such as the upper Midwest -RRB- low levels of frequent mental distress remained low over time , the study showed . Health.com : Secrets to a stress-free home . Overall , though , frequent mental distress seems to be on the rise . The rate of frequent mental distress increased by at least 1 percentage point in 27 states , and by more than 4 percentage points in Mississippi , Oklahoma , and West Virginia from the first time period to the second time period . `` In some areas , normal or low frequent-mental-distress levels increased over time , implying the introduction of influences that increased levels of frequent mental distress , '' Zack said . Health.com : Stress-reduction therapy may hike breast cancer survival rates . The new state-by-state breakdown of rates of mental distress should have ramifications as the Obama Administration takes on health care reform , said Chuck Holzer , a professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston . `` From a public health standpoint , it 's great to be aware of places with high rates of frequent mental distress so we can help make sure that access to care is increasing in those areas , '' he said . Many of the states with high rates of frequent mental distress are struggling economically , as are their residents . As a result , they may not be able to afford health insurance that includes mental health services . `` The big message is that you need to monitor the health and mental health of the country because it will lead to greater equity in mental health services , '' Holzer said . And Zack said , `` Community mental health agencies , social service agencies , and public health agencies in counties where frequent mental distress is increased should recognize that such increases may indicate unmet health and social service needs . '' Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 . | Mental distress differs among residents of U.S. states and counties . Hawaii : 6.6 percent of people report frequent mental distress ; Kentucky : 14.4 percent . Residents in some areas are more likely to have health conditions or disabilities . | [[67, 77], [83, 175], [708, 717], [816, 895], [896, 1031], [298, 304], [313, 373], [440, 511], [1795, 2137], [1813, 1879]] |
-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- November 12 , 2009 . Download PDF maps related to today 's show : . • Brazil • Pakistan • Macon , Georgia . Transcript . THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT . THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED . SUMAYA AHSAN , PAKISTANI STUDENT : He 's like a legend to us because he saved our lives , our friends ' lives . CARL AZUZ , CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR : We 've got that incredible story coming up in just a minute . I 'm Carl Azuz . CNN Student News starts right now ! First Up : Executive Agenda . AZUZ : First up , a look at President Obama 's executive agenda . Today , he 's taking off for Asia , making a nine-day trip to the region to meet with world leaders and to take part in an economic conference . Japan , Singapore , China and South Korea . All of them are stopping points along the way . The president plans to talk about the importance of the U.S. and Asian countries working together on things like economic growth , climate change and the war in Afghanistan . That last subject , the war , is something he discussed with his war council yesterday . It was the latest in a series of meetings to review the U.S. approach to the conflict in Afghanistan . President Obama is said to be considering four options , some of which may include sending additional troops to the country . That 's something that military leaders have requested and some Republican lawmakers have urged the president to do . In a recent CNN poll , 56 percent of people were against sending more troops , while 42 percent were in favor of it . Earlier in the day , President Obama took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery . Just one of the Veterans Day events held around the country . He and first lady Michelle Obama walked through the cemetery 's Section 60 , where service members from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been laid to rest . During a speech yesterday , the president said `` to all who served in every battle in every war , it 's never too late to say thank you . '' Is this Legit ? RICK VINCENT , CNN STUDENT NEWS : Is this legit ? Brazil is the biggest country in South America . Legit ! In fact , Brazil is the 5th largest country in the world , and it 's home to nearly 200 million people . Blackout in Brazil . AZUZ : About 60 million of those people were left in the dark Tuesday night by a massive power outage . Officials say it affected 18 of Brazil 's 26 states , including some of the country 's largest cities . There 's some uncertainty about what actually caused the power outage , but it 's been linked to a hydroelectric dam . The power was back on in most areas by Wednesday morning . Unsung Hero . AZUZ : Pakistan is a country that 's seen a lot of violence this year . Three weeks ago , suicide attacks at a university claimed seven lives . One of them was a janitor who had only started working at the school a week earlier . But his reported actions on that day have many people in Pakistan calling him a hero . Ivan Watson shares his story . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . IVAN WATSON , CNN CORRESPONDENT , ISLAMABAD : 70-year-old Kurshaid Siddique makes this walk every day , clutching a photo of her son . Pervaiz Mahsi was killed on October 20th when a suicide bomber attacked the university cafeteria where he worked . Pervaiz was a janitor . He barely earned enough money to feed his family . Now , some people are calling him a hero . SUMAYA AHSAN , STUDENT : Now , he 's like a legend to us because he saved our lives , our friends ' lives . WATSON : 20-year-old Sumaya Ahsan and her classmates are also in mourning . The suicide bomber killed three of their friends in the women 's cafeteria of Islamabad 's International Islamic University . But if it was n't for the janitor named Pervaiz , they say many more of their classmates could have been killed . AFSHEEN ZAFAR , STUDENT : If he could n't stop that suicide attacker , there could have been great , great destruction . WATSON : On October 20th , a suicide bomber disguised in women 's clothes shot and wounded the guard on duty and then approached this cafeteria , which was packed full of hundreds of female students . The café where this deadly attack took place is back open . This is the doorway where , by some accounts , Pervaiz Mahsi helped stop the suicide bomber from coming in and doing more damage . The explosion instantly killed Pervaiz . Who knows how many young women would have died if the bomber had gotten got into this room ? Pervaiz 's family lives here , in a house crowded with three other families . The family of eight people lives in this single room , sleeping on three beds . You all are Christians ? MAHSI 'S SISTER : Yeah . WATSON : They are members of Pakistan 's Christian minority , one of the poorest communities in Pakistan . They had to borrow money for Pervaiz 's coffiin , and now they 're behind on the rent . Pervaiz 's mother is inconsolable . From what we 've heard , your son really helped save a lot of people and he 's a hero . KURSHAID SIDDIQUE , MOTHER OF PERVAIZ MAHSI -LSB- TRANSLATED -RSB- : `` But my hero is dead now , '' she says . WATSON : The illiterate Christian man who saved the lives of so many Muslim girls is buried here , just a few feet from a muddy road in a garbage-strewn grave . The government of Pakistan is calling him a national hero . Ivan Watson , CNN , Islamabad . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . Word to the Wise . TOMEKA JONES , CNN STUDENT NEWS : A Word to the Wise ... segregation -LRB- noun -RRB- the separation of people or groups , especially by race . source : www.dictionary.com . Together at Last . AZUZ : Segregation was a policy that was practiced in many schools across America before a Supreme Court ruling declared it unconstitutional . In Macon , Georgia , many students from the class of 1959 recently attended their 50th reunion . And they decided that while their schools were segregated then , they wanted to come together now . Brooke Baldwin takes us there . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . BROOKE BALDWIN , CNN CORRESPONDENT : There are the nametags , the nerves , the hugs of recognition . But a typical 50th high school reunion this is not . Instead , this luncheon marks the first time Macon , Georgia 's classes of 1959 have sat side by side ever . BETTY WEBB-HAYES , 1959 GRADUATE , BALLARD-HUDSON HIGH SCHOOL : I grew up in a town for 50 years with all those people around and never knew who they were . BALDWIN : Betty Webb-Hayes knows . In 1959 , the southern city 's three public high schools -- Ballard-Hudson , Lanier and Miller -- were segregated . In the 1950s , Jim Crow laws ruled , and separate was supposedly equal . But as a Ballard Hudson alumna , as a young child , she says segregation was simply a way of life . WEBB-HAYES : We did n't find out that we were being discriminated against until we were in high school , until that high school teacher told us that we were living in a segregated society . We did n't know it . BALDWIN : Fifty years later , Lanier alumnus Tom Johnson , former CNN president and publisher of the `` L.A. Times , '' had an idea to close the five-decade gap . In a letter to Macon 's three classes of 1959 , Johnson wrote , `` It was a different world then . We were divided by policies , politics , and tradition . It is a different world today . We no longer are separated except by personal choice . '' That letter and several months of planning later , 210 members of the class of 1959 sat together at last . RUBY DEAN DUPREE , 1959 GRADUATE , BALLARD-HUDSON HIGH SCHOOL : Well , the old saying is better late than never . I could not sleep last night . So , it just means the world to me . It was just like waiting for Santa Claus to come . LINDA CARSTOFFEN GUGEN , 1959 GRADUATE , A.L. MILLER HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS : I realized how much we actually missed , people that we could have known . BALDWIN : For this former class president , the gathering of old and new friends brings tears to her eyes , not just because of the symbolism , but for the empty seats , classmates whose attitudes on race 50 years later have n't changed . GUGEN : There are some people that still feel resistant to the idea and think that what we 're pushing for is not a good thing . And I think we have to focus on the ones that were here today . I think those people went away with a changed heart . BALDWIN : It may have taken those people 50 years to come together . Unlike these old-fashioned photos , their story is no longer told in black and white . Brooke Baldwin , CNN , Macon , Georgia . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . Promo . AZUZ : CNN Student News has made an online upgrade ! To check it out , go to the U.S. page on CNN.com , scroll down , and click on `` Student News . '' Or you can enter `` CNNStudentNews.com '' into your browser . Our redesigned site has all of the free materials you love : Daily Discussion questions , downloadable maps , our blog . Log on and check out our new look today ! Before We Go . AZUZ : Before we go , some reputations are hard to keep . But Joey Chestnut -- the guy in the middle -- is up for the task . He 's one of the world 's top-ranked competitive eaters , and he showed off his skills , if that 's what you want to call it , at this meatball eating contest . Chestnut gobbled up 50 meatballs in just 10 minutes , setting a world record along the way . The guy who came in second finished one meatball behind . Goodbye . AZUZ : A close loss like that has to be a punch to the gut . You guys have a great day . CNN Student News will see you tomorrow to close out the week . | Find out some topics that President Obama plans to address on a trip to Asia . Hear the story of a late Pakistani janitor who is being hailed as a hero . Visit a class reunion that brought former students together for the first time . Use the Daily Discussion to help students understand today 's featured news stories . | [[2991, 3035], [3343, 3366], [3418, 3421], [3424, 3460], [5332, 5391], [7465, 7470], [7473, 7528]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As part of the investigation into the remains of 11 women found inside and outside the Cleveland , Ohio , home of a registered sex offender , police have turned to the self-described `` bug guy . '' Joe Keiper , curator of invertebrate zoology from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History , started consulting with law enforcement in 2001 . His job is to identify the bugs found on bodies and determine their age , to help police determine the `` post-mortem interval '' : the time between death and body discovery . It 's a grisly task but a useful one , as it can help police determine a timeline for deaths . Bugs `` can be the most important evidence when it comes to pinpointing a timeline , '' Keiper said , adding that bugs ' sense of smell `` puts bloodhounds to shame . '' And in this case , with 11 deaths -- each with their own mystery -- bugs could play a huge role in helping investigators figure out how and when each of these bodies ended up at the home of Anthony Sowell , 50 . From the beginning , Keiper was involved in the case of the remains found at Sowell 's home . All the remains are of African-American women , police said . All that remains of one victim is a skull , wrapped in a paper bag and stuffed into a bucket in the basement . Police conducted an additional search at Sowell 's home and an adjacent property Wednesday , Cleveland police Lt. Thomas Stacho said . Although `` various items '' were removed , no more remains were found , he said . Police had used ground-penetrating radar to analyze the properties . Sowell , who served 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted rape , now faces five counts of aggravated murder , rape , felonious assault and kidnapping in connection with the deaths . Typically , Keiper said , he requires three weeks to a month to complete a report on one body , but in the Sowell case , he hopes to have an initial report completed `` before Christmas . ... It is n't going to be a three-week process . '' The difference between one bug and another can be `` minute , '' with some of them looking `` very similar , '' he said . But the minute difference can be huge in terms of bug species , as different species can tell very different stories about the time of death . For instance , there are only a few dozen species of flies in his part of Ohio , he said , but the presence or absence of each one can tell a story , since each has a different rate of growth in varying temperatures . Temperature will be a factor in this case , he said , because some of the bodies were found inside and others outside . Keiper said he 'll need to determine what effect the bodies being `` hidden '' will have on the bugs he finds , as well . In research done with dead pigs , he said , bugs will cover the pig 's face within an hour . Keiper said his job is to be `` meticulous , '' as any mistakes can disrupt an investigation . Preliminary information is generally not useful , he said , so he has not spoken to police or the coroner regarding any of his findings . Asked how exact his findings will be concerning time of death , he declined to answer , saying that would mean giving specifics on the conditions of the bodies when they were found . He said only that he believes he can do `` better than years '' in trying to pinpoint a time of death for each victim . `` This is a singular situation that I hope is once in a lifetime , '' he said of the Sowell case . `` This is something , for the sake of our society , I hope I never have to do again . '' CNN 's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report . | Consultant identifies bugs found on bodies and determines their age . He is helping police investigate remains of 11 women found in Cleveland , Ohio . His work could help authorities establish timeline in case . | [[360, 367], [371, 431], [575, 630]] |
-LRB- Tribune Media Services -RRB- -- A century and a half ago , Athens was a humble , forgotten city of about 8,000 people . Today , one out of every three Greeks packs into this city of about 4 million . To avoid the Parthenon crowds , go in the early evening when the marble turns golden as the sun sets . Athens has been famous for its sprawl , noise and pollution . My advice has long been to see the big sights , then get out . But visiting it recently to research a new guidebook , I 've seen a dramatic change . The city has made a concerted effort to curb pollution , clean up and pedestrianize the streets , spiff up the museums , build a new airport and invest in one of Europe 's better public-transit systems . Even with its new look , the Greek capital still has its `` big three '' sights : the stunning Acropolis , the Ancient Agora just below and the remarkable National Archaeological Museum . But coming in June is the opening of a fourth big sight -- one that will stoke a battle over Greece losing her marbles more than 200 years ago -LRB- more on that later -RRB- . To many , the most important ancient site in the Western world is the Acropolis , rising gleaming like a beacon above the gray concrete drudgery of modern Athens . This is where the Greeks built the mighty Parthenon -- the most famous temple on the planet , and an enduring symbol of ancient Athens ' glorious Golden Age from nearly 2,500 years ago . The major monuments of the Acropolis survive in remarkably good condition . While the Persians , Ottomans , and British were cruel to the site in the past , the greatest dangers it faces now are acid rain and pollution . Ongoing restoration means that you might see some scaffolding -- but even that ca n't take away from its greatness . I like to come late in the day , as the sun goes down , when the white Parthenon stone gleams a creamy golden brown . While the Acropolis was the city 's ceremonial showpiece , it was the Ancient Agora that was the real heart of classical Athens . For some 800 years , it was the hub of all commercial , political , and social life and home to many of the city 's religious rites . Little survives in the Agora from the classical period . Other than one very well-preserved temple and a rebuilt portico , it 's a field of humble ruins nestled in the shadow of the Acropolis . But that makes it a quiet , uncrowded spot to wander and get a feel for the ancients . Romantics ca n't help but get goose bumps as they kick around the same pebbles that once stuck in Socrates ' sandals , with the floodlit Parthenon forever floating ethereally overhead . North of the city center is the world 's best collection of ancient Greek art , the National Archaeological Museum . It takes you from 7000 B.C. to A.D. 500 on a beautifully displayed and well-described sweep through Greek history , from prehistoric and Mycenaean artifacts through the evolution of classical Greek statuary . This museum now has a worthy competitor -- the New Acropolis Museum , slated to open in June . It 's a world-class space , custom-built to showcase the Parthenon sculptures , along with truckloads of other artifacts , all complemented by modern exhibits . And the state-of-the-art building itself is worth a look , as the boldest symbol yet of the post-Olympics vision for Athens . The new museum also serves as a sort of 21st-century Trojan horse , intended to lure the famous Elgin Marbles -LRB- the Parthenon sculptures -RRB- away from London 's British Museum . In the early 19th century , the British ambassador to the Ottomans , Lord Elgin , got permission to strip marble panels from the Parthenon and take them to England . For years , the Greeks have asked for the marbles back , and for years , the Brits have responded with claims that Greece ca n't give them a suitable home . And yet , now that this state-of-the-art facility is ready and waiting , it still seems unlikely that the marbles will be returned anytime soon . Britain is reluctant to give in , for fear of setting a precedent ... and getting `` me , too '' notices from Italy , Egypt , Iran , Iraq and all the other nations who 'd like the missing pieces of their cultural heritage back . But even without the Elgin Marbles , this new museum will be worth the wait , capturing the timeless splendor of ancient Athens in an ultra-modern building . Athens is more than a showcase for its past . Take some time to smell the souvlaki , whether by wandering through the touristy Plaka district , browsing through the Monastiraki flea market , or exploring the Psyrri neighborhood , the cutting-edge place to go for nightlife and dining . The narrow winding streets can be confusing , but you ca n't get too lost with a monument the size of the Acropolis looming overhead to keep you oriented . And after you visit Athens , get out -- to the wild , mountainous landscape of Greece 's Peloponnese , covered in my next column . Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio . E-mail him at [email protected], or write to him c/o P.O. Box 2009 , Edmonds , Wash. 98020 . Copyright 2009 RICK STEVES , DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES , INC. . | Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows . His TV series , `` Rick Steves ' Europe , '' airs on PBS stations . Steves ' company , Europe Through the Back Door , conducts European tours . | [[4947, 5009], [4997, 5015]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Iranian government has blocked access to the social networking site Facebook amid political jockeying for the June 12 presidential elections , according to the semi-official Iranian Labour News Agency . Opponents of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad like Mir Hossein Mousavi are using technology to reach voters . Reformist candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi -- a former prime minister considered a threat to current hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad -- created a Facebook page for his campaign that has more than 5,000 supporters on the site . Those attempting to visit Facebook received a message in Farsi saying , `` Access to this site is not possible , '' according to CNN personnel in Tehran . ILNA reported the Masadiq Committee , made up of representatives from Iran 's intelligence ministry , judiciary and others had ordered the action . After a few hours , the blockage was lifted , but was then reinstated , ILNA said . No reason was given for the block . `` We are disappointed to learn of reports that users in Iran may not have access to Facebook , especially at a time when voters are turning to the Internet as a source of information about election candidates and their positions , '' a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement . `` We believe that people around the world should be able to use Facebook to communicate and share information with their friends , family and co-workers . It is always a shame when a country 's cultural and political concerns lead to limits being placed on the opportunity for sharing and expression that the Internet provides . '' Ahmadinejad 's challengers are increasingly turning to new technology to spread their message , according to a May 13 article in the Financial Times newspaper . Iran 's population -- estimated at more than 66 million by July 2009 , according to the CIA World Factbook -- has a median age of 27 . The Financial Times , which put the country 's population at 70 million , said 47 million Iranians have cell phones and 21 million have Internet access . `` We are using new technologies because they have the capacity to be multiplied by people themselves who can forward Bluetooth , e-mails and text messages and invite more supporters on Facebook , '' Behzad Mortazavi , head of Mousavi 's campaign committee , told the Financial Times . At a Mousavi rally at a stadium Saturday , the Facebook blockage was a topic of conversation among reporters . Many said they had accessed Facebook on Friday night and believe the site was blocked Saturday morning . | Facebook visitors see message in Farsi saying , `` Access to this site is not possible '' Iran 's intelligence ministry reportedly behind action ; no reason given for blockage . Reformist candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi created Facebook page for campaign . President Ahmadinejad 's opponents are using new technology to spread message . | [[568, 630], [612, 637], [640, 678], [991, 996], [1014, 1084], [955, 990], [337, 376], [404, 473], [337, 376], [477, 517], [240, 336], [1605, 1698]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Chilean inspectors stumbled upon hundreds of exotic animals from Peru destined for illegal trade while conducting what they thought was going to be a routine inspection of a fishing boat , the government said Tuesday . A family of Scarlet macaws in Costa Rica in June 2008 at a zoo aimed at conserving the species . The Chilean boat , the Rosa Isabel , was carrying macaws , toucans , parrots , turtles , squirrels and crocodiles , most of them protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora , which prohibits the sale of these species , the government said in a statement . In all , officials counted more than 400 exotic animals from Peru , the statement said . The incident began before dawn , when inspectors from Chile 's Maritime Administration boarded the boat and found the live cargo stuffed inside dozens of cardboard boxes lined with chicken wire and with holes cut on the sides for ventilation . The animals were handed over to the Farm and Cattle Service of Arica , Chile 's northernmost city , for return to Peru , the minister of agriculture said Monday in a statement . The captain of the ship , Moises Segundo Diaz Verdugo , a Chilean national , faces a possible fine of between $ 188,000 and $ 940,000 , to be determined by an Agriculture and Livestock Service -LRB- SAG -RRB- court . Under an agreement between SAG and the National Institute of Natural Resources of the Republic of Peru , signed in 2007 , the animals will be returned to Peru , SAG said . The national director of SAG , Francisco Bahamonde , credited coordination among various state bodies with impeding the illegal entry of protected species and products that can transmit pests or illnesses and said they would `` redouble '' their efforts . Chile busts trade in exotic animals from Peru . | More than 400 exotic animals from Peru were found . The animals include macaws , toucans , parrots , turtles , squirrels , crocodiles . Most of the animals are protected under international pact on endangered species . The wildlife will be returned to Peru . | [[19, 88], [644, 650], [653, 709], [335, 351], [372, 463], [459, 550], [1372, 1474], [1492, 1530]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Four people , including a 12-year-old , died when an Amtrak train hit their car in Hardeeville , South Carolina , an official said Tuesday . The accident occurred Monday night near the South Carolina-Georgia state line , not far from the intersection of South Carolina 46 and U.S. 17 . `` It appears that the vehicle tried to go around the gate arms ... to beat the train across the tracks , '' said Ted Felder , Hardeeville 's interim city manager . The Jasper County , South Carolina , coroner has not released the names of the dead . The car became wedged onto the front of the southbound train , which pushed it for a mile down the track , Felder said . The Hardeeville Fire Department received a call shortly before 9 p.m. ET Monday , but teams from various agencies reportedly were unable to detach the car until about midnight . Felder said no one on the train was injured , and once the car was detached , a bus took passengers to the Amtrak station in Savannah , Georgia . The train was en route from Charleston , South Carolina , to Savannah when the crash occurred . | Amtrak train hits car near South Carolina-Georgia state line . Car apparently tried to beat train across tracks , official says . Four killed in car , including 12-year-old . No train passengers injured , official says . | [[0, 56], [59, 113], [160, 237], [133, 159], [305, 408], [0, 56], [59, 113], [855, 898]] |
Fort Lauderdale , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Florida teenager attacked and set on fire last month , allegedly by five teenage friends , was undergoing skin graft surgery Friday , the first procedure in his recovery , a hospital spokeswoman said . Michael Brewer , who suffered burns over 65 percent of his body , will have his own skin transplanted onto the burned areas of his back and buttocks , said Lorraine Nelson , a spokeswoman at the University of Miami 's Jackson Memorial Hospital Burn Center . Brewer will return to the intensive care unit after the surgery . He has been heavily sedated since the October 12 incident and on a ventilator until last week to keep him alive . He is listed in guarded condition . On Thursday , three teens accused of setting Brewer on fire pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder , a public defender for one of the boys said . Each of the three -- Denver Jarvis and Matthew Bent , both 15 , and Jesus Mendez , 16 -- is charged as an adult with one count of attempted murder in the second degree in the attack in Deerfield Beach , Florida . They were arraigned in Broward County Circuit Court before Judge Dale Cohen , and are being held without bond . Prosecutors say the three boys were in a gang that poured alcohol over Brewer , then set him ablaze in a dispute over $ 40 , a video game and a bicycle . Gordon Weekes , Bent 's attorney , denounced the fact that the teens were charged as adults . `` It 's been decided by society that a 15-year-old ca n't vote , ca n't join the armed forces and can not buy alcohol , because society has recognized that children do not have the ability to appreciate the long-term consequences of their actions , '' he said . `` But they can treat them as adults in court , when we have very capable remedies for them in the juvenile justice system , which is geared towards rehabilitation , '' Weekes added . The attorney said he and the other two public defenders plan to make separate motions to the court asking that their clients be allowed to post bond . Detectives say eyewitnesses told them that Mendez used a lighter to set fire to Brewer after Jarvis allegedly poured alcohol over him . They said Bent allegedly encouraged the attack . Authorities say that Mendez admitted setting Brewer on fire , and that he made a `` bad decision , '' according to an arrest transcript . Two other boys who were allegedly involved -- a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old -- have been charged as juveniles . Witnesses say Brewer jumped into the swimming pool at his apartment complex to put out the flames . Detectives with the Broward County Sheriff 's Office have been unable to interview Brewer . `` We hope that we can maybe get a statement this week , '' sheriff 's spokesman Jim Leljedal said . `` Detectives have been waiting for him to recover to the point where he 's strong enough to give us a complete statement . '' Doctors say Brewer is improving but his condition is tenuous because of the severity of his burns and the possibility of infections . Most of his burns are on his back and buttocks ; his face and hands were largely spared , doctors say . Brewer 's doctor told CNN the teen faces several more months in the hospital , and will need multiple skin grafts and surgeries . `` They still have to perform several operations on him for skin grafting , but his parents are with him all the time , '' Nelson said . `` I do n't tell him what happened , '' Brewer 's mother , Valerie , told CNN affiliate WFOR-TV . `` I just tell him he 's in the hospital and he 's safe and he 's getting better . `` And he 'll say , ` Am I going to be OK ? ' And I say ` Yes , Michael . You 're going to be fine . You 're going to be just fine , ' '' she said . Investigators believe Brewer owed Bent $ 40 for a video game . When Brewer did not pay , police say , Bent stole Brewer 's father 's bicycle . Brewer reported him to police and Bent was arrested , police say . The next day , the group surrounded Brewer . According to witnesses , the five boys called Brewer `` a snitch '' and set him on fire . The Brewer family told WFOR that none of the families of the accused boys have tried to contact them , but that it does n't matter . `` We ca n't focus on it . They 'll get theirs is all we can say . I do n't focus on it , '' Brewer 's father , also named Michael , told WFOR . If convicted , each of the three teen suspects could face up to 30 years in prison . A court-appointed psychologist who has examined two of the five boys allegedly involved in the attack told CNN they are competent to take part in legal proceedings and assist their attorney . `` I can describe both of them as being afraid , being fearful , '' said Michael Brannon , a forensic psychologist , without identifying the boys . `` I can describe both of them as being tearful at various times during the interview , especially when talking about the specific incident which led to the injuries of the victim . '' Psychologists are often brought into cases involving teenagers and young adults to judge their mental capabilities to determine their competency to proceed . They must determine whether the alleged attackers understand the charges against them , the court proceedings and potential sentences . Psychologists also must evaluate whether the defendants can talk about what happened and communicate effectively with defense attorneys . `` I do n't think they expected to have happened , what happened , '' Brannon said . `` It 's a horrible event that occurred , but this was not their conceptualization , in my opinion , of what was going to happen . '' | Hospital spokeswoman says Michael Brewer having own skin put onto burned areas . Brewer , 15 , in guarded condition , will go back to intensive care after procedure . More surgeries to come ; October 12 attack left burns over 65 percent of his body . 3 of the 5 teens accused of setting Brewer on fire plead not guilty to attempted murder . | [[219, 248], [249, 263], [315, 397], [507, 572], [687, 722], [249, 263], [270, 312], [3276, 3349], [723, 734], [737, 832], [4023, 4036], [4070, 4087], [4506, 4552]] |
Kennett , Missouri -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A woman accused of cutting in line at a Wal-Mart , shoving merchandise and assaulting police officers will plead guilty to disturbing the peace and resisting arrest , both misdemeanors . Under the agreement -- reached after the jury received the case for deliberations -- Heather Ellis will plead guilty to disturbing the peace and resisting arrest . She will serve a year of unsupervised probation , attend an anger management course and serve four days in jail before the end of the year . The sentence stipulates that if Ellis stays out of trouble for a year , the charges will be sealed and the arrest wo n't be on her permanent record . Ellis said after court was adjourned that she was `` taking responsibility for her actions and -LSB- hopes -RSB- that everyone else involved in the case will take responsibility for theirs . '' Earlier Friday , Ellis , 24 , took the stand and denied all charges in the racially charged case . Witnesses and police say Ellis cut in front of customers at a Wal-Mart in January 2007 , pushed aside merchandise belonging to another customer to make room for hers on the conveyor belt and , after police were called to the scene , kicked one officer in the shin and split another 's lip . The prosecution has also alleged the Ellis went `` ballistic in a profane tirade '' that continued when police officers arrived . Ellis , now a schoolteacher , denied all accusations against her , although she acknowledged in her Friday testimony that she touched another shopper 's items on the conveyor belt . She was initially charged with assaulting police officers , resisting arrest and disturbing the peace . Had she been convicted of those charges , she could have been sentenced to up to 15 years in prison . Ellis , then a college student with no criminal history , has said that some white patrons shoved and hurled racial slurs at her when she switched checkout lines . Store employees refused to give her her change and called police , she said . She said Friday that the incident began when she joined her cousin in the checkout line and was ignored by the clerk . She did not not cut in line and did not yell or use profanity , said Ellis , who has not spoken about the case outside of court . As she left the store , Ellis told the Dunklin County Circuit Court , a police officer told her , `` Look at this stupid bitch . Take your ass back to the ghetto . '' She alleged that an officer behind her forcefully grabbed her shoulder without telling her she was being arrested . She did not resist , but said her body was `` flung around '' by officers . She screamed loudly for help as officers `` choked '' her and pulled her hair , but she did not hit or kick them , she testified . Testimony from Ellis ' cousin , who was with her at the Wal-Mart , and from her aunt , whom the cousin called as Ellis was arrested , backed up the young woman 's account . Ellis said she saw a doctor after the incident because tight handcuffs had cut her and made her bleed . She said she also had a headache and neck pain from the incident . An emergency room doctor testified that he had seen bruises on one of Ellis ' wrists , but did not see cuts or bleeding . He also said he did not see any neck or head injuries . Surveillance tapes from the store were shown in court Thursday and released publicly , but the tapes do n't show much of the alleged confrontation . A camera from above the cash register appeared to show Ellis ' arm shoving merchandise to the side on the register 's conveyor belt . Another camera showed her being led out of the store by police , with her arm in the air . A third , from the parking lot , showed her being handcuffed and put into a police car . It appeared to show Ellis kicking backward at police , as authorities allege . Her defense maintains she did so after police had assaulted her . Officials with the American Civil Liberties Union and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference have said the case is indicative of racial bias in the town , where 13 percent of the population is African-American . Black and Hispanic residents have long complained of being unfairly profiled during traffic stops by the predominantly white police department . When Ellis ' supporters held a peaceful rally in June , officers found business cards scattered along the route that read : `` You have been paid a social visit by the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan . The next visit will not be social . '' During another rally on Monday , a handful of opponents stood on the sidelines waving Confederate flags . Her lawyers have not brought up race as a contributing factor in the incident . Two years ago , prosecutors offered a plea deal under which Ellis would have received probation if she dropped her complaint against the police . `` She decided not to sign it , because she was taught to never admit guilt when you 're innocent , '' her father has said . CNN 's David Mattingly and Tristan Smith contributed to this report . | NEW : Ellis ' permanent record will be cleared if she stays out of trouble for a year . Heather Ellis agrees to probation , anger-management class . Plea deal reached as jury deliberated . Ellis testifies on her own behalf in racially charged case . | [[530, 679], [559, 599], [602, 628], [389, 392], [439, 472], [231, 244], [248, 288]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Health care reform backers won a key victory Saturday night as the Senate voted to move ahead with a floor debate on a sweeping $ 848 billion bill . The 60-39 vote to prevent a Republican filibuster against the start of debate on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid 's legislation broke down along strict party lines . All 58 Senate Democrats -- along with independent Sens. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Bernie Sanders of Vermont -- supported bringing the measure to the floor . Thirty-nine of the 40 Senate Republicans opposed the motion . Sen. George Voinovich , R-Ohio , did n't vote . `` Tonight 's historic vote brings us one step closer to ending insurance company abuses , reining in spiraling health care costs , providing stability and security to those with health insurance and extending quality health coverage to those who lack it , '' White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement . The polarized vote set the table for a holiday season now virtually certain to be marked by acrimonious deliberations on President Obama 's top domestic priority . Top Senate Democrats , who are trying to pass a bill before the end of the year , spent much of the day tarring their Republican colleagues as defenders of a broken status quo benefitting rich insurance companies at the expense of ordinary American families . Republicans , in turn , slammed Democrats for pushing a bill that conservatives insist will force millions of Americans to drop insurance plans they like while boosting premiums , raising taxes and leading to government rationing of care . Read the health care bill -LRB- PDF -RRB- . `` Today we -LSB- decide -RSB- whether to even discuss one of the greatest issues of our generation , '' Reid , a Nevada Democrat , said shortly before the vote . `` Whether this nation will finally guarantee its people the right to live free from fear of illness and death , which can be prevented by decent health care for all . '' The Republicans `` are frightening people , '' said Sen. Tom Harkin , D-Iowa . `` Now is not the time to go wobbly in the knees . Now is the time to stand strong ... and move this country forward . '' `` This bill ... is a massive monument to bureaucracy and spending , '' replied Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Kentucky . It `` imposes punishing taxes on almost everyone . ... A vote in favor of proceeding to this bill is a vote in favor of adding to the tax burden of the American people in the midst of double digit unemployment . '' The bill `` does worse than nothing , '' said Sen. Chuck Grassley , R-Iowa . It `` threatens the economic recovery . ... Changes to the health care system must be responsible and not break the backs of the taxpayers . '' The procedural vote represented another milestone in what has become an epic battle over the future of America 's health care system . The House of Representatives narrowly passed a more than $ 1 trillion bill this month . If the Senate also manages to pass a bill , a congressional conference committee will then need to merge the House and Senate proposals into a consensus version requiring final approval from each chamber before moving to Obama 's desk to be signed into law . The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has projected that Reid 's 2,074-page bill would extend health insurance coverage to 31 million additional Americans . The agency estimates that the proposal would reduce the federal deficit by $ 130 billion over the next 10 years , through 2019 . Any effect on the deficit in the following decade would be `` subject to substantial uncertainty , '' but probably would result in `` small reductions in federal budget deficits , '' according to budget office analysts . A minimum of 60 votes is required to break a filibuster in the 100-member Senate . The outcome of the Senate vote was unclear before Saturday afternoon , when Sen. Blanche Lincoln , D-Arkansas , announced her intention to back a floor debate on the measure . Lincoln , a key moderate probably facing a tough re-election campaign in 2010 , said the issue deserved further debate and consideration . She made clear , however , that she opposes several aspects of Reid 's bill , including a controversial government-run public option . `` Although I do n't agree with everything in this bill , I believe it is important to begin debate , '' Lincoln said . `` The issue is very complex . There is no easy fix . '' Republicans wasted no time tearing into Lincoln 's vote , issuing a news release while she was still announcing her decision , proclaiming that she had caved to `` pressure from the left wing of her party . '' `` There 's no doubt that this vote will be a critical issue for Sen. Lincoln as she embarks on her uphill re-election bid , '' said Amber Wilkerson Marchand , a GOP spokeswoman . `` The people of Arkansas will have an opportunity to hold her accountable when they cast their ballots next November . '' Two other Democratic moderates whose support was considered to be in doubt -- Nebraska 's Ben Nelson and Louisiana 's Mary Landrieu -- also announced their decision to back a full debate shortly before the vote . Reid 's bill , projected to ensure coverage for 94 percent of Americans , includes a range of tax increases and new fees . The Medicare payroll tax on individuals earning $ 200,000 a year and couples earning $ 250,000 a year would increase by half a percentage point , from the current 1.45 percent to 1.95 percent . In addition , insurers providing costly health coverage -- known as Cadillac plans -- would face a 40 percent tax on policies worth more than $ 8,500 for individuals and $ 23,000 for families . The bill also includes a 5 percent tax on the cost of elective cosmetic surgery , as well as new fees for insurers and pharmaceutical manufacturers . The total projected revenue raised by all the taxes and fees would exceed $ 200 billion . The bill would require individuals to buy health insurance , with a fine for non-compliance of $ 95 in the first year that would escalate to $ 750 by 2016 . Unlike the plan recently passed by the House , the Senate bill does not mandate that all employers offer health care . Businesses with more than 50 workers , where at least one employee qualifies for government subsidies , would face a penalty of $ 750 for every full-time employee if it does not offer health care coverage . Reid 's bill also would expand government-run Medicaid coverage for the poor to everyone making less than 133 percent of the national poverty level . Democratic leaders in both chambers have been wrestling with the most contentious issues , including abortion and immigration , as well as how to pay for reform . The House bill has more restrictive abortion language and includes a 5.4 percent income tax surcharge on individuals making more than $ 500,000 and couples earning more than $ 1 million . Both bills include a government-run public option , but the Senate version allows states to opt out before the national program would go into effect in 2014 . The two bills are virtually identical on a broad range of changes , including creating health insurance exchanges , expanding Medicaid , subsidizing insurance for low - and some middle-income families , and capping out-of-pocket medical expenses while preventing insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions . Insurers under both plans would be barred from charging higher premiums based on a person 's gender or medical history . | `` Tonight 's historic vote brings us one step closer , '' White House press secretary says . All 58 Democrats , two independents clinch vote . Democrats rip into Republicans as defenders of status quo . GOP decries `` massive monument to bureaucracy and spending '' | [[621, 709], [878, 943], [1108, 1128], [1190, 1247], [1204, 1283], [2187, 2201], [2204, 2253]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` The LHC is back , '' the European Organization for Nuclear Research announced triumphantly Friday , as the world 's largest particle accelerator resumed operation more than a year after an electrical failure shut it down . Restarting the Large Hadron Collider -- the $ 10 billion research tool 's full name -- has been `` a herculean effort , '' CERN 's director for accelerators , Steve Myers , said in a statement announcing the success . Experiments at the LHC may help answer fundamental questions such as why Albert Einstein 's theory of relativity -- which describes the world on a large scale -- does n't jibe with quantum mechanics , which deals with matter far too small to see . Physicists established a circulating proton beam in the LHC 's 17-mile tunnel at 10 p.m. -LRB- 4 p.m. ET -RRB- Friday , CERN said , a critical step towards getting results from the accelerator . `` It 's great to see beam circulating in the LHC again , '' said CERN Director General Rolf Heuer . `` We 've still got some way to go before physics can begin , but with this milestone we 're well on the way . '' Located underground on the border of Switzerland and France , the LHC has been inching towards operation since the summer . It reached its operating temperature -- 271 degrees below zero Celsius -- on October 8 and particles were injected on October 23 . Now that a beam is circulating , the next step is low-energy collisions , which should begin in about a week , CERN said . High-energy collisions will follow next year . The collider has been dogged by problems . It made headlines early this month when a bird apparently dropped a `` bit of baguette '' into the accelerator , making the machine shut down . The incident was similar in effect to a standard power cut , said spokeswoman Katie Yurkewicz . Had the machine been going , there would have been no damage , but beams would have been stopped until the machine could be cooled back down to operating temperatures , she said . The collider achieved its first full-circle beam last year on September 10 amid much celebration . But just nine days later , the operation was set back when one of the 25,000 joints that connect magnets in the LHC came loose and the resulting current melted or burned some important components of the machine , Myers said . The faulty joint has a cross-section of a mere two-thirds of an inch by two-thirds of an inch . `` There was certainly frustration and almost sorrow when we had the accident , '' he said . Now , `` people are feeling a lot better because we know we 've done so much work in the last year . '' Mark Wise , professor of physics at the California Institute of Technology , said he 's just as excited about the results that will come out of the LHC as he was last year and views the September 2008 accident as a delay rather than a devastating event . Wise noted that Tevatron , the collider at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois , has also had its share of failures but is generally considered to work just fine . `` It 's a horribly complicated piece of equipment , it 's not like there 's not going to be problems along the way , '' he said . `` They will surmount those problems . '' The LHC will probably be in operation more than 20 years , Myers said . But it wo n't be that long before scientists could potentially discover new properties of nature . The as-yet theoretical Higgs boson , also called `` the God particle '' in popular parlance , could emerge within two or three years , Myers said . Evidence of supersymmetry -- the idea that every particle has a `` super partner '' with similar properties in a quantum dimension -LRB- according to some physics theories , there are hidden dimensions in the universe -RRB- -- could crop up as early as 2010 . For some theoretical physicists such as Wise , finding the Higgs boson and verifying every prediction of the Standard Model of physics would be the worst outcome . He wants the LHC to deliver surprises , even if that means no Higgs . `` When push comes to shove , the name of the game is ` what is nature , ' and we 're not going to know until our experimental colleagues tell us , '' Wise said . ATLAS and CMS are the general-purpose experiments designed to find the Higgs boson and other rare particles that have never been detected before . ALICE , another experiment , will explore the matter that existed some 10 microseconds after the Big Bang , said John Harris , professor of physics at Yale University and national coordinator of ALICE-USA . At that time , there was a `` hot soup '' of particles called quarks and gluons at a temperature of around 2 trillion degrees above absolute zero , he said . Although they have never been directly seen , these particles are theoretically the building blocks of the bigger particles -- protons , neutrons and electrons -- that form the universe as we know it . CNN 's Elizabeth Landau contributed to this report . | LHC restarted more than a year after being shut down by electrical fault . The full scientific program for the LHC wil probably last more than 20 years . The LHC will look for the Higgs boson , quarks , gluons and other small particles . Restarting $ 10B research tool described as `` herculean effort '' | [[125, 201], [208, 237], [3237, 3293], [245, 281], [332, 335], [344, 362]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- There are dozens of get-well cards on his wall . On his bed , there 's another pile from family , friends , high school pals . The patient must be 19 or 20 -- a kid -- and his smile is magnetic . His mother hugs every visitor , strangers like us included . `` I 'm a hugger , '' she explains . His girlfriend is by his bedside too , wearing a sweatshirt from her college in upstate New York , her studies interrupted . `` My leg will never be a hundred percent , '' he says , `` which means I just have to get a new hundred percent . '' It helps that we were visiting this wounded soldier at Walter Reed Army Medical Center , a few weeks ago , with the actor Woody Harrelson , instantly recognizable from TV and movies . Woody is profoundly good-natured and can make anyone smile , even the maimed young men and women , just back from a combat zone they carried home with them . But this particular soldier/kid is happy anyway . Happy to be alive , mature enough to be grateful . A few weeks earlier , an Afghan soldier he had known for eight months -- a man who fought by his side -- turned his rifle on his American `` allies '' and killed two of this soldier 's buddies , wounding three , including him . This kid knows he 's among the lucky ones . `` I have no idea why he did it , '' he says . `` It 's the Middle East , '' I reply . `` I guess so , '' he says with a sigh . In room after room , our delegation encounters stories of war that are just not a part of the national conversation . I keep thinking : Whatever happened to the telling of these stories in America ? Do we need a Washington lobbyist to push the soldier 's - story agenda ? Individual tales make up the reality of war ; anecdote by anecdote , they become the truth of combat . But in the U.S. mainstream media , they have too little presence . How did we get to a place where sharing a soldier 's narrative or reading soldiers ' names on television or meeting their coffins when they are brought back to their country becomes a political or disloyal act ? Why ca n't we share the truth about war ? When I was growing up in Israel , we saw scenes from military funerals on the news : screaming , crying mothers and all . Wounded soldiers would be interviewed , sometimes with burned bodies or missing limbs . It was not political ; it was just the subjective , human reality of the soldier . There was a need to know . It gave our warriors a public stage from which to reconnect . I remember coming back from Lebanon when I was a soldier in the '80s , feeling like I 've just been to another planet . Filmmaking , storytelling , was my therapy . We made an earlier trip to Walter Reed , along with our lead Ben Foster , to immerse ourselves in the lives of returning soldiers in preparation for making a movie about casualty notification officers , the soldiers who knock on the door to bring the grim news of a loved one 's death while on military duty . We think of it as an uplifting movie about getting back to life . When we tell these troops about our movie , most smile bitterly ; they know their families were spared that awful encounter -- they got a phone call -- but they imagine their friends ' families having their hearts ripped out by two soldiers in Class A uniforms at the door . `` The secretary of the Army regrets to inform you ... '' Visiting a military hospital is always an inspiring , shocking , beautiful , complicated experience . I highly recommend it . It 's a gift to the soldier , and it 's a blessing for the visitor . Those who are in good enough shape to talk take us to the front lines of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in vivid , visceral detail . We feel privileged to hear their voices crack , to see their eyes fill with tears . Firefights . IEDs . Accidents . Friendly fire . Boredom . Porn . Burn pits . Torn up buddies . Locals . Shifting alliances . Lives lost in translation . The stuff of war . Nothing pretty about it . And that 's OK . If these guys can live through it , we can listen . It does n't take much before you 're reminded that wars are about human beings -- on both sides . With more than 5,000 dead ; more than 35,000 soldiers coming back with injuries , many that will last a lifetime ; with one in six returning soldiers afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder ; and with families torn apart by multiple deployments , domestic violence , substance abuse , divorces , suicides , homelessness , etc. , we are slowly transitioning into the longest part of the war : the aftermath . There are many dedicated professionals and volunteers who are dealing with these issues . They 're the ones who will be learning the soldier-stories that we all must know , the individual accounts that should allow us to address , head-on , our collective responsibility as a society toward those who fight in our name . But we wo n't hear these stories unless we insist . Instead , we 'll get more statistics , political punditry , screamers trying to pull us left or right . We say goodbye to this kid in his military hospital bed . He waves and says , `` No need to worry about me . '' Which is the only thing I think he got wrong . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Oren Moverman . | Oren Moverman says soldiers ' stories tell war 's truth , but media often avoid them . He says visiting soldiers in a military hospital is inspiring , not pretty , but important . Listening to soldiers ' experience lets society confront its responsibility in war , he says . | [[1680, 1723], [4704, 4723], [4729, 4731], [4736, 4745], [4748, 4871], [4746, 4771], [4777, 4871]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Jersey City , New Jersey , police officer shot in the line of duty last week died of his injuries Tuesday , a day before his 38th birthday , a spokeswoman for the city 's mayor announced . Police officers gather at the site of a shootout in Jersey City , New Jersey , on Thursday . Jennifer Morrill said Officer Marc DiNardo , who was wounded last Thursday in a shootout , passed away Tuesday morning . Jersey City Police Chief Thomas Comey told reporters Monday night that DiNardo was not expected to live . DiNardo was one of five officers injured early Thursday as they moved in for a tactical entry into an apartment where a shooting suspect and another person were holed up . Officials say the officers were met with gunfire , and a shootout ensued . Both suspects were killed , and DiNardo suffered two gunshot wounds to the face . Melissa Bartholomew , a family friend and fellow police officer , read a statement Monday from DiNardo 's family , which includes his wife Mary , three young children and his parents . She said DiNardo , whose 38th birthday is Wednesday , had a personality that no one could forget . `` Marc was not a selfish man . He was a moral man ; a man who gave himself for those who could n't care for themselves , '' she said . DiNardo 's family plans to donate his organs , said Joe Scott , president of LibertyHealth and its Jersey City Medical Center . `` This unselfish act will live on in the lives that Marc will impact through organ donation . '' Officer Michael Camacho , who was also wounded in the shootout , was upgraded from critical to serious condition and moved out of the intensive care unit , Scott said Monday . Camacho was shot in the neck during the gun battle . The other three officers were treated at a hospital and released . | Marc DiNardo was one of five officers injured in New Jersey shootout last week . Two suspects were killed in shootout ; DiNardo was shot twice in face . DiNardo 's family plans to donate his organs , medical center 's president says . | [[48, 97], [325, 345], [352, 391], [530, 562], [549, 641], [325, 345], [352, 391], [777, 802], [809, 858], [1279, 1323], [1279, 1302], [1326, 1340]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Carrie Prejean has filed a lawsuit against Miss California USA officials who stripped her of her title , accusing them of libel and religious discrimination for her views on same-sex marriage . Carrie Prejean was stripped of her Miss California USA title earlier this year . `` We will make the case that her title was taken from her solely because of her support of traditional marriage , '' her attorney , Charles LiMandri , said in a news release . Prejean stepped into controversy at the Miss USA pageant in April when , in response to a question from a judge , she declared her opposition to same-sex marriage . Prejean finished as first runner-up . The complaint was filed in Superior Court of California against Miss California USA officials Keith Lewis and Shanna Moakler , as well as publicist Roger Neal . It alleges that Prejean suffered because of `` libel , public disclosure of private facts , religious discrimination , intentional infliction of emotional distress , and negligent infliction of emotional distress . '' LiMandri had threatened to file a defamation lawsuit if Lewis did not retract statements he made about the former beauty queen . LiMandri 's letter to Lewis ' attorney also accused Lewis of setting Prejean up to be fired because of her statements opposing same-sex marriage . When Prejean , 22 , was dethroned in June , Lewis said it was for `` contract violations , '' including missed public appearances . He said then 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 told CNN 's Larry King in June . `` 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 said it was clear `` she was not interesting in upholding the title or the responsibilities . '' After that interview , LiMandri penned a letter to Lewis ' attorney saying , `` Carrie Prejean 's good name has been tarnished by your client 's false and defamatory accusations . '' `` 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 wrote . He denied any contract violations by Prejean , calling those claims 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 . `` 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 . '' Miss USA pageant owner Donald Trump announced in May that Prejean could keep her title despite a controversy over topless photos , missed appearances and her statements against same-sex marriage . Trump later reversed himself . `` 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 . '' | Carrie Prejean was stripped of Miss California USA title earlier this year . Prejean claims she suffered because of officials ' statements , actions . Prejean was involved in controversy after statements about same-sex marriage . | [[87, 116], [121, 146], [238, 318], [860, 1074], [2241, 2289], [496, 566], [1276, 1353]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pope Benedict XVI is expected to meet the Archbishop of Canterbury on Saturday , the first meeting between the religious leaders since a Catholic overture to disaffected Anglicans that some commentators compared to a hostile takeover on Wall Street . Rowan Williams , the nominal head of the world Anglican Communion , threw down a theological gauntlet to the pope in a highly challenging speech in Rome in the run-up to their meeting . He laid out a series of questions suggesting that decades of hard-won apparent reconciliation between the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations might have weak foundations . He also proposed that a truly universal Christian church might have to be structured more like the Anglican Communion -- with no central authority laying down the law -- than like the Catholic Church , with the pope on his throne . `` Is there a mechanism in the church that has the clear right to determine for all where the limits of Christian identity might be found ? '' Williams asked . `` Is the integrity of the church ultimately dependent on a single identifiable ministry of unity to which all local ministries are accountable ? '' The meeting comes in the wake of a Vatican move that some say will shatter more than 40 years of efforts to reconcile the Catholic and Anglican churches . The Vatican announced in October that it had worked out a way for Anglicans who are dissatisfied with their church to switch allegiance en masse to Rome . The process will enable groups of Anglicans to become Catholic and recognize the pope as their leader , yet have parishes that retain Anglican rites , Vatican officials said . The move comes some 450 years after King Henry VIII broke from Rome and created the Church of England , forerunner of the Anglican Communion . The number of Anglicans wishing to join the Catholic Church has increased in recent years as the Anglican Church has welcomed the ordination of women and openly gay clergy , said Cardinal William Joseph Levada , the head of the Vatican 's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , in announcing the move in October . Williams was said to have been taken by surprise by the move , which critics described as an end run around a long-established Catholic-Anglican dialogue . `` The Catholic Church is responding to the many requests that have been submitted to the Holy See from groups of Anglican clergy and faithful in different parts of the world who wish to enter into full visible communion , '' Levada said . Levada said `` hundreds '' of Anglicans around the world have expressed their desire to join the Catholic Church . Among them are 50 Anglican bishops , said Archbishop Joseph Augustine Di Noia of the Congregation for Divine Worship . Catholic and Anglican theology and rites are broadly similar , but Anglicans have long allowed priests to marry and have children . In recent decades , the Anglican Communion has allowed women to become priests . The Episcopal Church , the United States branch of the Anglican Communion , has ordained an openly gay bishop , Gene Robinson , and appears to be on the verge of ordaining more . Those developments have caused controversy within the communion , with more conservative parishes setting up alternative structures of authority . Pope Benedict hinted clearly when he last met Williams in Rome almost exactly three years ago to the day that Rome did not look kindly on the Anglican moves . `` Recent developments , especially concerning the ordained ministry and certain moral teachings , have affected not only internal relations within the Anglican Communion but also relations between the Anglican Communion and the Catholic Church , '' the pope said in November 2006 . `` We believe that these matters , which are presently under discussion within the Anglican Communion , are of vital importance to the preaching of the gospel in its integrity , and that your current discussions will shape the future of our relations , '' he added . There are about 77 million Anglicans worldwide , and about 1.1 billion Roman Catholics . | Pope Benedict XVI , Anglican head to meet , discuss ideologies . Vatican recently opened door to disillusioned Anglicans wanting to join Catholic Church . Anglican Church has welcomed ordination of women , openly gay clergy . | [[154, 269], [1338, 1413], [1902, 1961], [2894, 2911], [2914, 2974]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. President Obama sent a direct message to Iran 's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei weeks before this month 's disputed election , Iranian sources said Wednesday . Iran 's supreme leader , Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , calls for an end to protests last week at Tehran University . The letter requested dialogue and engagement between the two nations , the sources said . The sources said that Khamenei has yet to reply to the letter but that nonetheless it `` had set the negotiating table in order for both sides to sit around it after the election . '' The White House refused to `` get into the specifics of our different ways of communicating , '' a senior Obama administration official said . `` We have indicated a willingness to talk for a long time and have sought to communicate with the Iranians in a variety of ways , '' the official said . Khamenei made an indirect reference to the letter in his sermon on Friday at Tehran University . `` The U.S. president said that we were waiting for a day like this to see people on the street , '' the Iranian leader said . `` Some people attributed these remarks to Obama , and then they write letters to say we 're ready to have ties , that we respect the Islamic Republic , and on the other hand , they make such comments . Which one should we believe ? '' One Iranian source said , `` We thought President Obama would send congratulations to President Ahmadinejad , '' and before the election , his senior advisers prepared a response to the anticipated note , which never came . The Iranian source said the election dispute is wasting time on the issue of starting U.S.-Iranian negotiations . Watch how the reported letter is part of a new policy of engagement '' `` The longer it is delayed , '' the source said , `` the less likely -LSB- U.S.-Iranian talks -RSB- will happen . '' Another Iranian government official said there is still `` no trust '' between Iran and the United States . The source said he is waiting for `` real change '' even though the Iranian government welcomed the change in tone of the Obama administration before the current election turmoil in Iran . The official went on to cite a recent gesture by Iran toward Obama : the release of journalist Roxana Saberi . The official said Iran accepted Obama 's assurances that she was not a spy and had allowed the Iranian citizen to leave the country . Since , under intense scrutiny amid growing concerns over Tehran 's violent crackdown on street protests , Obama has sharpened his language on Iran . `` The United States and the international community have been appalled and outraged by the threats , beatings and imprisonments of the last few days , '' Obama said Tuesday , adding that he strongly condemns `` these unjust actions . '' He has not spoken in support of Ahmadinejad or his main rival , Mir Hossein Moussavi , whose supporters have taken to the streets to protest the results of the June 12 election that gave Ahmadinejad a second term . Obama 's letter to Khamenei is in keeping with his publicly stated aim of engagement with Iran and his New Year 's message in which he described a new way forward . The Obama administration has `` made it clear that any real dialogue -- multilateral or bilateral -- needed to be authoritative , '' according to the senior administration official . The official noted that the Iranians have yet to respond to a diplomatic outreach made during talks on Iran 's nuclear program April 8 . At that time , the administration asked the European Union 's international policy chief , Javier Solana , to invite Iran to new talks with the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany . But the administration 's tack toward Iran may be changing , as senior officials in Washington said the Obama administration is seriously considering not extending further invitations to Iranian diplomats for July 4 celebrations overseas . Some invitations had been sent and will not be rescinded , senior administration officials said . The officials said intense discussions on the issue were taking place , but the final decision had not been made . The Obama administration had decided to invite Iranians to the celebrations at overseas posts as part of Obama 's policy of engaging the Iranian regime . As part of that engagement , Obama videotaped a message for the Iranian people on the Persian new year , and U.S. officials have engaged members of the Iranian government . CNN 's Elise Labott and Dan Lothian contributed to this report . | White House refuses to `` get into the specifics , '' administration official says . Obama 's letter requested dialogue and engagement , Iranian sources say . Sources : Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has n't replied to letter sent before June 12 election . Khamenei made an indirect reference to letter in sermon last week . | [[577, 668], [3301, 3353], [158, 190], [303, 371], [3006, 3128], [3171, 3278], [393, 535], [3354, 3435], [874, 970]] |
SHENANDOAH , Pennsylvania -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Crystal Dillman says she will never understand why a group of teenage boys beat her fiancé to death . She says she will spend the rest of her life seeking answers -- and justice -- for the man she has lost as she struggles alone to raise her three young children . `` My life is forever destroyed , '' said Dillman , who was 24 at the time of her fiancé 's death . `` My family is forever destroyed . '' Her fiancé , Luis Ramirez , an undocumented Mexican immigrant , was walking down the street in Shenandoah , Pennsylvania , on July 12 , 2008 , with Dillman 's half-sister , who is white . A fight broke out between him and a group of white high school football players . He died from his injuries two days later , leaving a small community stunned at the brutality of the crime . A central issue in the case is race in a town with a reputation for being an ethnic melting pot . Witness Eileen Burke said she heard the group call Ramirez a `` spic . '' One of the boys who was charged as a juvenile , Brian Scully , admitted telling Ramirez to `` go home , you Mexican motherf -- er . '' Residents speak out about the crime , racial overtones . Scully was charged with ethnic intimidation . Another teen pleaded guilty to federal civil rights violations in a plea deal . But two teens who faced a local jury were acquitted of charges of ethnic intimidation . Dillman does n't doubt that the attack was racially motivated . `` They said some racist remarks to him , '' Dillman said of the teens . `` Truly , in my heart , I believe they beat him up because he was Latino . '' Many in Shenandoah deny that race played a role and say it was just a street fight gone wrong . The young men involved were ordinary high school students -- good kids , according to their families , friends and coaches . Shenandoah resident interrupts CNN interview . It took almost two weeks for arrests to be made . But on July 25 , Colin J. Walsh , 17 , and Brandon J. Piekarsky , 16 , were charged as adults with homicide and ethnic intimidation . Derrick M. Donchak , 18 , was charged as an adult with aggravated assault and ethnic intimidation . Walsh , who admitted throwing a punch that left Ramirez unconscious , got straight A 's in school and ran track . His father says he was never a troublemaker . See photos of key figures in the case . But how do ordinary kids get caught up in such a brutal incident ? Experts say everyone has biases , and violent instincts are common , especially in young adults . Young offenders . `` Hate is part of our culture , '' said Jack Levin of the Brudnick Center on Violence at Northeastern University . `` It transcends generations , it 's widely shared , and it 's learned from an early age , '' Levin said . `` Even otherwise decent , honorable people can be pulled into it . '' Jack McDevitt of Northeastern University 's Institute on Race and Justice said , `` We all carry around biases with us , and it 's not the extraordinary monster that decides to act on it . Generally speaking , it 's someone more like us and our children than a member of the -LSB- Ku Klux -RSB- Klan . '' Research conducted by both Levin and McDevitt shows that there are three major types of hate crime offenders : . • `` Thrill seekers '' who look for excitement and power in attacking a person they perceive as different . • `` Retaliators '' who seek revenge for a real or perceived crime against someone similar to the attacker . • `` Defenders '' who are trying to protect their neighborhood or way of life . Perhaps the most expected type is also the rarest : an offender who may be a member of a group like the KKK and has a deep-seated hatred of a specific ethnic group . `` Hate criminals , most of them young men , believe they are carrying out the fervent , unspoken wishes of their communities , '' said Mark Potok , director of the Southern Poverty Law Center 's Intelligence Report . McDevitt says offenders often `` believe other people share their biases ... everybody feels the way they do , or at least the majority . '' By taking action , he says , they think `` they 're being heroic while others are scared . '' Communities most likely to experience a hate crime have a `` special combination of ethnic homogeneity and a rapid in-migration of groups perceived to be outsiders , '' according to Donald Green , a professor at Yale University . He says a `` flashpoint '' can occur `` when there 's a boundary-crossing . '' For example , `` an inter-ethnic , inter-sex relationship on public display . '' Offenders sense that an outside group is crossing a boundary , and when women are involved , it can trigger a defensive reaction , especially among young men . Shenandoah 's rich immigrant heritage has long been a source of pride in the former coal-mining town , and families have held tight to their cultural traditions for generations . But an influx of Latinos in the late 1990s brought some discomfort . Cheap housing and jobs in agriculture and construction drew undocumented immigrants -- among legal Latino residents and citizens -- to a community that was struggling economically . Crimes against Latinos rising . FBI statistics show that anti-Latino crimes are on the rise . There were 595 anti-Latino crimes in 2007 , up almost 40 percent from the 426 crimes in 2003 ; the Latino population in America grew only 14 percent during that time . In December , Ecuadorean Jose Osvaldo Sucuzhañay died after he was beaten with a baseball bat in Brooklyn , New York . One month earlier , a group of seven teenagers with a history of harassing Latinos went out looking for `` Mexicans to f -- up '' and fatally stabbed Ecuadorean immigrant Marcelo Lucero in Patchogue , New York . FBI figures from 2007 show that anti-Latino attacks account for about 8 percent of all hate crimes . About 35 percent of hate crimes were directed at blacks , 16 percent at homosexuals and 13 percent at Jews . But experts say hate crimes in general are underreported . States are not required to report those figures to the FBI . And it can also be hard for law enforcement and prosecutors to prove that a perpetrator 's motive was hate , especially if a robbery occurs or the attacker had a prior relationship with the victim . Often , the victims themselves -- especially Latinos who may not be in the United States legally -- do n't report the crimes and may mistrust the police . McDevitt says many victims may not realize or want to acknowledge that they have been the target of a hate crime . Experts say communities can heal after hate crimes occur , and even prevent them from happening altogether , if local leaders take certain steps . `` Different people need to be welcomed , '' McDevitt said . Donald Green says a community can portray change as positive , `` saying , ` we 've got more great restaurants , more people who work hard , more people who are family-oriented , ' '' for example . Still struggling . Eventually , Piekarsky was convicted of simple assault and consumption of alcohol , and Donchak was convicted of simple assault , and three counts of corruption of a minor , providing alcohol to minors and consumption of alcohol . The jury acquitted Piekarsky and Donchak of ethnic intimidation charges . Piekarsky was sentenced to between six and 23 months in prison and Donchak from seven to 23 months . Walsh pleaded guilty to violating Ramirez 's civil rights . More than a year after Ramirez 's death , Shenandoah is still struggling . Civil rights officials at the Department of Justice are investigating the death and the actions of the Shenandoah police officers who urged the boys to get their stories straight before talking to investigators . But there is no closure for Crystal Dillman . `` It 's not done for me , '' she said , `` not by a long shot . That 's not justice at all . Not even close . '' | Small town stunned by death of Mexican immigrant after fight with white teens . Fiancèe : `` Truly , in my heart , I believe they beat him up because he was Latino '' `` Hate is part of our culture , '' expert says . Watch CNN Presents `` Latino in America '' tonight at 9 ET on CNN TV . | [[637, 718], [719, 721], [762, 827], [1568, 1618], [2557, 2587]] |
Rome , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two Pakistani men accused of providing logistical support for last year 's deadly terror attacks in Mumbai , India , were arrested Saturday in Italy , police said . They were arrested in the northern Italian city of Brescia , said Stefano Fonzi , head of Italy 's Division of General Investigations and Special Operations . The attacks on India 's largest city lasted four days . The attackers targeted several sites in Mumbai , taking over several hotels and a Jewish center . The attacks left 160 people dead . On November 25 , 2008 , the day before the attacks in Mumbai , the two men arrested allegedly transferred $ 229 that was used to activate Internet phone lines used by the suspects . Two others connected with the longstanding money transfer agency in Brescia also were arrested for other illegal activity , Fonzi told CNN . Police are looking for a fifth man . Italian police started their investigation the following month after being alerted by Indian authorities and the FBI that funds had been transferred from Italy , Fonzi said . Authorities suspected the agency after money was transferred under the Muslim name of a man who had never entered Italy , a police statement said . Indian police have said 10 Pakistanis were involved in the deadly assault , nine of whom were killed in the carnage . The lone surviving suspect has linked the coordinated shooting and bombing incidents to the leader of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyiba , a militant group that is banned in India . CNN 's Hada Messia in Rome contributed to this report . | Two men arrested in Italy in connection with November 2008 Mumbai , India , terror attacks . Police say men transferred money to activate Internet phone lines for terrorists . Siege at hotels and attacks on other targets left 160 people dead . | [[32, 138], [7, 28], [141, 180], [545, 566], [606, 703], [651, 656], [671, 726], [1080, 1171], [412, 458], [510, 544]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Presidential candidates Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain are detailing their plans for solving the country 's energy crisis and criticizing each other 's proposals this week as they campaign in battleground states . Here 's a look at the candidates ' energy proposals : . Overall strategy . McCain , the presumptive GOP nominee , has proposed a national energy strategy that would rely on the technological prowess of American industry and science . McCain has said he would work to reduce carbon emissions 60 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 . He has said he would commit $ 2 billion annually for 15 years to advance clean coal technology . He also has pledged to oppose a windfall profits tax on oil companies that , according to his campaign Web site , `` will ultimately result in increasing our dependence on foreign oil and hinder investment in domestic exploration . '' McCain also believes the U.S. needs to deploy SmartMeter technologies , which collect real-time data on the electricity use of individual homes and businesses . Meanwhile , Obama laid out his comprehensive energy plan Monday in Lansing , Michigan . `` If I am president , I will immediately direct the full resources of the federal government and the full energy of the private sector to a single , overarching goal -- in 10 years , we will eliminate the need for oil from the entire Middle East and Venezuela , '' the presumptive Democratic nominee told a crowd . Obama 's plan also would invest $ 150 billion over the next 10 years and leverage billions more in private capital to build a new energy economy that he said would harness American energy and create 5 million new jobs . He also called on businesses , government and the American people to meet the goal of reducing U.S. demand for electricity by 15 percent by the end of the next decade and said he would modernize the national utility grid . Another prominent feature in the plan : Immediately give every working family in America a $ 1,000 energy rebate and pay for it from oil company profits . Offshore drilling . McCain : Proposed lifting the ban on offshore drilling as part of his plan to reduce dependence on foreign oil and help combat rising gas prices . Would let individual states decide whether to explore drilling possibilities . Opposes drilling in some wilderness areas -- including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge -- and said those places must be left undisturbed . Obama : Opposed new offshore drilling , but later shifted to say that he would consider it if it were part of a larger strategy to lower energy costs . Supports bipartisan energy plan from the Senate that combines alternative energy innovation , financial , nuclear energy and drilling proposals . Effort by five Democrats and five Republicans to break Congress ' energy impasse would allow expanded offshore oil exploration and embrace ambitious energy efficiency and efforts to develop alternative fuels . Believes oil companies should drill on the 68 million acres they have access to but have n't used and would require oil companies that will not drill to give up their leases . Strategic oil reserves . McCain advocates suspending the purchase of foreign oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve during periods of high prices to reduce demand . Obama called for tapping into strategic oil reserves as part of his plan to provide relief from high gas prices . -LRB- He previously said he was opposed to using the strategic reserves , but on Monday he proposed selling 70 million barrels of oil from the reserves to lower gas prices -RRB- . Cars and driving . McCain : Proposed a $ 300 million award for `` the development of a battery package that has the size , capacity , cost and power to leapfrog the commercially available plug-in hybrids or electric cars . '' Called for the suspension of the 18.4-cent-a-gallon federal gas tax and 24.4-cent-a-gallon diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day . Says the lost revenue would be paid for by money from the general fund . Obama : Would provide $ 4 billion in loans and tax credits to American auto plants and manufacturers so that they can retool factories and build fuel-efficient cars ; would put 1 million 150-mpg , plug-in hybrids on U.S. roads within six years and would give consumers a $ 7,000 tax credit to buy fuel-efficient cars . Nuclear energy . McCain : Calls for building new nuclear reactors , saying barriers to nuclear energy are political , not technological . Would put a plan in place to build 45 new nuclear power plants by 2030 -- with the ultimate goal of 100 new plants . Would provide for safe storage of spent nuclear fuel and give host states or localities a proprietary interest so when advanced recycling technologies turn used fuel into a valuable commodity , the public would share in the economic benefits . Obama : Says he 'll find safer ways to use nuclear power and store nuclear waste . In Democratic debate earlier this year , he said , `` We should explore nuclear power as part of the energy mix . '' Renewable energy . McCain : Would commit $ 2 billion annually to advance clean coal technologies . Calls for a permanent tax credit , which he says will `` simplify the tax code , reward activity in the U.S. , and make us more competitive with other countries , '' according to his campaign Web site . Encourages development of low-carbon fuels -- wind , hydro and solar power . Obama : Would require 10 percent of U.S. energy come from renewable sources by the end of his first presidential term . The plan would extend the Production Tax Credit for five years to encourage the production of renewable energy . Create five first-of-a-kind , coal-fired demonstration plants that would capture and store carbon dioxide emissions and invest in technology that will allow for more coal use . Climate change . McCain : Proposes a bipartisan plan to address the problem of climate change and stimulate the development and use of advanced technologies . It is a market-based approach that would set caps on carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions and provide industries with tradable credits . Obama : Calls for a reduction of carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050 by using a market-based cap-and-trade system . Would create what his campaign calls a `` Global Energy Forum '' and re-engage with the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change . CNN 's Ed Hornick , Kerith McFadden and Alan Silverleib contributed to this report . | Sen. Barack Obama lays out comprehensive energy plan this week . Obama vows to eliminate the need for Mideastern , Venezuelan oil in 10 years . Sen. John McCain proposes an energy strategy relying on technology and science . McCain says the federal government should lift restrictions on offshore drilling . | [[1060, 1069], [1072, 1134], [1330, 1408], [312, 318], [341, 470], [5853, 5859], [5862, 5994], [2082, 2088], [2091, 2156]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A dispute over abortion between the only remaining Kennedy in Congress and his Roman Catholic bishop has highlighted the political volatility of the issue and the challenge it presents to the nation 's Catholics . `` How can you claim to be a Catholic and also support abortion ? '' Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence , Rhode Island , asked Monday , discussing his request that Rep. Patrick Kennedy , a Rhode Island Democrat , stop receiving Holy Communion because of his pro-choice politics . Kennedy went public Sunday about Tobin 's request , originally made in a private letter to Kennedy in 2007 . Tobin responded with a statement Sunday followed by his television appearance Monday , in which he acknowledged holding Kennedy to a higher standard than an ordinary parishioner because of the congressman 's position as a legislator who can shape abortion laws and policy . The issue is considered much broader than a public rift between the two men . A sweeping health care bill in Congress could get derailed by conflicts over abortion language , with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops last week criticizing a Senate version of the measure for lacking the tougher language adopted earlier by the House . Kennedy , a member of the most influential Catholic family in U.S. history , is the son of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy and nephew of the late John F. Kennedy , the nation 's first Catholic president . When running for president in 1960 , John Kennedy famously said he was `` not the Catholic candidate for president , '' but `` the Democratic Party 's candidate for president who also happens to be be a Catholic . '' Edward Kennedy was known for his liberal policies , including support for a woman 's right to choose an abortion . When he died earlier this year , a Roman Catholic funeral Mass was held in Boston 's Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica . Patrick Kennedy holds similar views to his late father , and the dispute with Tobin festered anew when Kennedy publicly criticized the Catholic Church for opposing health care reform that lacked stringent anti-abortion language . Requests to Kennedy 's offices in Washington and Rhode Island for comment Monday went unanswered . Tobin , appearing on CNN , called Kennedy 's support of abortion `` a scandal . '' Asked why he was singling out Kennedy , Tobin said the congressman started the dispute by attacking the church 's opposition to a health care bill that lacks tough abortion restrictions . He acknowledged `` a difference between someone who is the average Catholic in the pew ... and someone like the congressman who is in a high-profile position and is in a position to affect legislation on allowing access to abortion . '' Other Catholics questioned Tobin 's stance . `` The simple fact is that most bishops do n't want to deny communion to politicians , and we know for a fact that Pope John Paul II gave communion to pro-choice Italian politicians , '' said the Rev. Thomas Reese , a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University . `` So the question is , is Bishop Tobin more Catholic than the pope on this ? '' Politicians have previously run afoul of Catholic bishops on the abortion issue . Kansas City Archbishop Joseph Naumann asked Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to stop receiving communion when she was a pro-choice governor of Kansas , and former St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke said in 2004 he would deny communion to Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry for being pro-choice . Brian McLaren , a longtime Christian pastor who has written a book coming out next year called `` A New Kind of Christianity , '' said politicizing religious views limits the perception and , eventually , the impact of a church 's teachings . `` Both Catholics and Protestants have allowed themselves to be pushed into this kind of binary , either-or thinking '' on abortion and homosexuality , McLaren said . `` It 's disturbing for me as a non-Catholic to see the Catholic Church possibly risking its moral authority on a number of other issues by only focusing on abortion . '' The Roman Catholic church strongly opposes abortion , which has been legal across the United States since 1973 . The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops lobbied for tight restrictions on federal funding of abortion in the health care bill the House passed earlier this month . In an October interview , Kennedy criticized the bishops for threatening to oppose the health care bill if it lacked the tough restrictions . In the House debate on the measure , Kennedy opposed a provision with the church-backed restrictions on federal money for abortions , but voted in favor of final passage of the bill that included that language . He repeated that criticism and revealed Tobin 's earlier admonition in an interview published Sunday , the 46th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy . Tobin responded by calling Kennedy 's position `` unacceptable to the church and scandalous to many of our members . '' Most bishops and priests oppose using communion as a `` political weapon , '' and Kennedy 's disclosure of Tobin 's admonition may be an attempt to push back against the bishops ' support for the abortion restrictions in the House bill , CNN senior Vatican analyst John Allen said . `` The Catholic bishops have been fairly successful , at least to date , at putting abortion at the center of the debate over health care reform , and that obviously has generated some resentment from people who do n't share their views , '' Allen said . Kennedy 's decision to come forward `` in effect puts the Catholic bishops in a negative light , because it ends up making them look intolerant . '' To McLaren , the admonishment by Tobin displays an inconsistency . `` The bishops have taken I think a wise stand against the proliferation of nuclear weapons , '' he said . `` Would they apply withholding of the Eucharist to someone who supports increasing nuclear stockpiles ? '' The health care debate reveals the depth of division on the issue , according to McLaren . Both sides apparently believe they are advocating language that makes the legislation effectively `` abortion neutral , '' meaning it does n't change existing abortion law . `` What we discovered is ` abortion neutral ' is a matter of interpretation , '' McLaren said , adding : `` This is what happens in the politics of polarization . Each side plays to its more extreme base . It makes common ground and respectful dialogue harder to achieve . The idea that we 're playing a win-lose game , that you 're saying if you do n't agree with us , we 're not even going to have a conversation with you , that attitude chills civil discourse . '' | Rep. Patrick Kennedy 's support for abortion rights brings criticism from church . Bishop tells Kennedy not to take communion . The issue is considered much broader than a public rift between the two men . | [[3418, 3567], [906, 983]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two people were executed Tuesday in China for their part in a tainted milk scandal that killed at least six babies and sickened about 300,000 others , state-run media reported . Zhang Yujun was executed for endangering public safety and Geng Jinping was executed for producing and selling toxic food , the Xinhua news agency said . The tainted formula came to light in September 2008 , after several babies fell ill from drinking formula that contained melamine . Melamine is commonly used in coatings and laminates , wood adhesives , fabric coatings , ceiling tiles and flame retardants . Some Chinese dairy plants added the chemical to milk products so they would appear to have a higher protein level . The tainted milk caused kidney stones and urinary tract problems in hundreds of thousands of children . The 22 Chinese dairy producers that made the formula have offered compensation to victims ' families . In all , 21 people were tried and sentenced in January for their roles in the scandal , Xinhua reported . Among them , Zhang and Geng were sentenced to death , and most others received at least 15 years in prison . | Zhang Yujun and Geng Jinping executed for their roles in toxic milk scandal . In all , 21 people were tried and sentenced in January for their roles in the scandal . Tainted milk killed at least six babies and sickened about 300,000 others . Drinking formula held melamine , a toxin dairy plants used to make protein levels appear higher . | [[0, 15], [19, 75], [197, 268], [256, 318], [1038, 1048], [1051, 1089], [932, 938], [941, 961], [932, 938], [941, 950], [966, 1017], [79, 101], [107, 167], [0, 5], [138, 185], [725, 828], [411, 425], [435, 482], [609, 724], [671, 724]] |
Seattle , Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When Amanda Knox 's parents head to Italy for closing arguments in their daughter 's murder trial they 'll be carrying a present they hope desperately she can use soon : a plane ticket home . In that purchase lies one family 's entire hope . Curt Knox and Edda Mellas say their daughter is nothing like the person they 've seen depicted before and during her trial . They grimace at the description prosecutors have used in court : that Amanda Knox was a resentful American so angry with her British roommate Meredith Kercher that she exacted revenge during a twisted sex misadventure at their home two years ago . Prosecutors say Knox directed then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and another man infatuated with her , Rudy Guede , to hold Kercher down as Knox played with a knife before slashing Kercher 's throat . `` She is totally nonviolent , almost a passive person , '' Mellas told CNN in a joint interview with her former husband . So passive was Knox , the parents said , that she could n't even continue a kickboxing class because she felt it was too violent . She was so caring , they said , that she would make her friends stop a car to let a spider out rather than kill it . Knox was an easy child to raise in Seattle , Washington , along with her younger sisters Deanna and Ashley , her parents said . She took to soccer early on but hit the books as hard as she played . It was on the field that she earned the nickname Foxy Knoxy , though they say it was rarely used and taken out of context when Kercher was found killed to portray their daughter as a sex-hungry party animal . `` It was totally associated to soccer and how she prepared herself as a defender , waiting to take on a striker going down , '' Curt Knox said . `` So how people read this nickname is totally wrong . '' Eventually , though a star player at college , Knox gave up the sport to focus on her education . She knew she wanted to study in Italy and would n't be able to leave the team to go abroad . Her mother said she threw herself into jobs to help the family save for the trip , working as a soccer coach , a barista and in a gallery . They recall a young woman far different from the wild party girl depicted by prosecutors , one they said found more enjoyment in going to a coffee house and reading a book than going out to a club . They say she met her former boyfriend and co-accused Sollecito at a classical concert . Yes , they concede , Knox , now 22 , and Sollecito say they were smoking marijuana and having sex at his home the night Kercher was killed , but that was as wild as it got . They reject the idea of revenge as a motive for Knox to kill Kercher . Mellas said her daughter e-mailed and called to tell her about her new roommate regularly . Knox told her they got along great and spent time together , going to libraries and a chocolate festival . What has happened in Perugia , Italy , is unfathomable to them . On November 2 , 2007 , at 4 a.m. in Seattle , Mellas was awakened by the phone . `` Amanda called -LSB- and said -RSB- ' I hate to wake you up , but something 's not right here , I think someone 's been in my house , ' '' Mellas recalled . The door to the home she shared with Kercher had been ajar when she came home that morning , and when Knox got out of a quick shower , she noticed drops of blood . Kercher 's door was locked , and Knox could n't reach her , she told her mother , adding that Sollecito was calling the police . Later , when officers broke down the door to Kercher 's room , Mellas said her daughter struggled to understand what was going on , hanging on the few words of Italian she understood at the time . `` They were screaming ' A foot , a foot , ' that 's what they could see , '' Mellas recalled Amanda Knox saying . When she learned Kercher was dead in the room , a hysterical Knox called her mother , Mellas remembered . `` We were constantly on the phone , '' she said . `` She was tired , scared , there was a murderer out running around and she was afraid to be alone . '' On the day Knox was arrested , Mellas was flying to Italy to be with her daughter , to comfort her and help her find a new place to live since her home was still a crime scene . But Mellas ' plane was diverted to Switzerland , where she switched on her phone and learned that Knox had been charged with murder . `` I felt physically ill , I went to the bathroom to throw up . I was stuck -LSB- in Switzerland -RSB- for five hours , '' Mellas recalled , beginning to cry . By the time she reached Italy and was allowed to see her daughter , Mellas had already heard news reports that Knox had confessed . She was flabbergasted and confused . See the evidence against Amanda Knox . `` It was horrible . We cried most of the time , '' Mellas recalled of the first meeting . `` But we held each other and it all made sense . She told me what happened in the interrogation , how they asked her to imagine the possibilities . She talked about being hit , screamed at , threatened ; it was the most horrible thing she had ever been through in her entire life . '' But even with the way Knox has been treated and portrayed , her parents know they are the lucky parents in this case . `` As parents , the Kercher family received the worst phone call they could get , '' Curt Knox said , adding he believes Kercher has gotten lost in the sensational coverage . `` At least our daughter called us . '' After the arrest , Mellas was sure there was a mix-up or problems with translation that would soon be cleared up . But they were n't . When Guede was later arrested in Germany , police said he had been speaking to a friend on a Skype call monitored by police and had been talking about being at Kercher 's house . Mellas and Curt Knox were sure again that everything would be fixed . During the conversation , despite saying that he knew who Amanda Knox was , he never indicated she was at the home the night of the murder . But after being jailed , his story changed , and he pointed the finger at Knox and her then-boyfriend , Sollecito . Her family said they 've tried to shield Knox from knowing how high-profile the case has gotten and how people are talking about her , discussing what she wears to court and what kind of person she is . But she does know she may be going to jail for a very long time . During closing arguments , prosecutors asked for her to be sentenced to life in prison , shocking her family who had expected a demand for 30 years . Read about the case against Amanda Knox . Still , at occasional prison visits , Curt Knox and Mellas try to give Knox a light at the end of the tunnel . `` We have to try and put on a face that it is going to work out , '' Mellas said , beginning to cry . `` We keep telling her it 's taking way longer than expected but she will get out of there . They will not put an innocent 20-year-old in jail , they just ca n't . '' They take solace and hold onto the moments the court allows Knox to share with her parents after the trial has recessed each day . `` They allowed us to go into the back room and say goodbye and hug her , tell her we love her , '' Curt Knox said choking up . `` Just those few seconds are worth a lot . '' | Parents of Amanda Knox say they still hope murder trial will acquit their daughter . They say they do n't recognize the vengeful killer portrayed by the prosecution in Italy . Knox 's parents say they know they 're luckier than parents of victim Meredith Kercher . | [[2629, 2681], [5187, 5245]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Pentagon is making detailed plans to send about 34,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan in anticipation of President Obama 's decision on the future of the eight-year-old war , a defense official said Tuesday . Obama held a lengthy meeting with top advisers Monday night and said Tuesday that he would announce plans for Afghanistan after the Thanksgiving holiday . A Defense Department official with direct knowledge of the process said there has been no final word on the president 's decision . But planners have been tasked with preparing to send 34,000 additional American troops into battle with the expectation that is the number Obama is leaning toward approving , the official said . Obama ordered more than 20,000 additional troops to Afghanistan in March . Gen. Stanley McChrystal , the U.S. commander in Afghanistan , reportedly has called for up to 40,000 more to wage a counterinsurgency campaign against the Taliban , the Islamic militia originally ousted by the U.S. invasion in 2001 . The president has weighed several options for bolstering the American contingent , ranging from sending a few thousand troops to sending the 40,000 McChrystal requested . McChrystal was among those who took part in Monday 's conference with Obama and other top advisers , which broke up at 10 p.m. Vice President Joe Biden , Defense Secretary Robert Gates , Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen and Karl Eikenberry , the U.S. ambassador in Kabul , were among the other senior officials in the meeting . Obama said Tuesday that the deliberations have been `` comprehensive and extremely useful . '' `` It 's going to be important to recognize that in order for us to succeed there , you 've got to have a comprehensive strategy that includes civilian and diplomatic efforts , '' he said at a news conference Tuesday with visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh . The military has planning under way to send these units : three U.S. Army brigades , totaling about 15,000 troops ; a Marine brigade with about 8,000 troops ; a headquarters element of about 7,000 ; and between 4,000 and 5,000 support troops -- a total of approximately 34,000 troops , according to a defense official with direct knowledge of Pentagon operations . CNN reported last month that this was the preferred option within the Pentagon . The troops would be dispatched throughout Afghanistan but would be focused mainly on the southern and southeastern provinces , where much of the recent fighting has taken place . Currently , brigades from Fort Drum in upstate New York and Fort Campbell in Kentucky are among those that are next in line to deploy . About 68,000 U.S. troops are in Afghanistan , along with about 45,000 from the NATO alliance . Two U.S. military officials said NATO countries would be asked to contribute more troops to fill the gap between the 34,000 the Pentagon expects Obama to send and the 40,000 McChrystal wanted . The request is expected to come during a December 7 meeting at the alliance 's headquarters in Brussels , Belgium . Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell would not discuss specific numbers , but he said NATO would be asked for additional help . `` Clearly , if the president decides to commit additional forces to Afghanistan , there would be an expectation that our allies would also commit additional forces , '' Morrell said . U.S.-led troops invaded Afghanistan in response to the al Qaeda terrorist network 's September 11 attacks on New York and Washington . The invasion overthrew the Taliban , which had allowed al Qaeda to operate from its territory , but most of the top al Qaeda and Taliban leadership escaped the onslaught . Taliban fighters have since regrouped in the mountainous region along Afghanistan 's border with Pakistan , battling U.S. and Afghan government forces on one side and Pakistani troops on the other . Al Qaeda 's top leaders , Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri , remain at large and are suspected to be hiding in the same region . The conflict has claimed the lives of more than 900 Americans and nearly 600 allied troops . A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Tuesday suggests that the U.S public is split over whether more troops should be sent to Afghanistan . Fifty percent of those polled said they would support such a decision , with 49 percent opposed . The poll found that 66 percent of Americans believe the war is going badly , up 11 percentage points from a similar survey in March . Overall support for the war has fallen to 45 percent , with 52 percent opposed . iReporters sound off ; share your views on sending more troops in Afghanistan . Afghanistan was among the topics Obama and Singh discussed in their meetings Tuesday . Singh said the international community needs `` to sustain its engagement in Afghanistan , to help it emerge as a modern state . '' `` The forces of terrorism in our region pose a grave threat to the entire civilized world and have to be defeated , '' he said . `` President Obama and I have decided to strengthen our cooperation in the area of counterterrorism . '' India is one Afghanistan 's biggest international donors , contributing $ 1.2 billion in aid . That involvement has been met with suspicion in Pakistan , India 's nuclear rival in South Asia . But it has helped the United States by sharing some of the burden of stabilizing the country and providing civilian support . In addition , several leading analysts have argued that settling the decades-old tensions between India and Pakistan would allow both sides to pull troops off their borders , giving Pakistan more resources to battle the Taliban along its northwest frontier . `` I think that will certainly be at the center of the agenda this week , '' Nicholas Burns , a former State Department official , said on CNN 's `` American Morning . '' U.S. prospects in Afghanistan depend partly `` on convincing Pakistan to be more cooperative in the fight against those terrorist groups . '' `` The United States is not going to be an outright mediator between Pakistan and India , but we can quietly , behind the scenes , push them to reduce their problems , '' Burns said . CNN 's Elaine Quijano and Mike Mount contributed to this report . | NEW : NATO allies will also be asked to send more troops , officials say . Announcement on troop increase to come after Thanksgiving . Obama met with national security team Monday night to discuss Afghanistan . Obama wanted clarification on how , when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility . | [[2773, 2896], [3157, 3206], [3290, 3371], [244, 249], [308, 398], [244, 303], [1227, 1232], [1237, 1304], [4664, 4712]] |
Editor 's note : Tananarive Due is an American Book Award-winning and NAACP Image Award-winning novelist . She is based in Los Angeles . Her Web site is http://www.tananarivedue.com/ . The Due sisters -- Johnita , left , Tananarive , center , and Lydia -- prepare for a Jackson concert in 1984 . LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michael Jackson died Thursday , and my family gathered by telephone from Florida , Texas , California and Georgia to mourn and remember . But we began mourning long ago . I was 17 when the `` Motown 25th Anniversary Special '' aired in 1983 , and my parents , sisters and I first saw Michael Jackson moonwalk to `` Billie Jean . '' He sent a lightning bolt through our living room , and all of us leaped to our feet with shouts . He may have been the best entertainer I live to see . His music asked us to transcend race and geography , hate and bigotry , and made us feel like we were the world . In recent months , I showed my 5-year-old son , Jason , that Motown performance on YouTube . `` Billie Jean '' made Jason want to moonwalk and wear a glove . `` Beat It '' inspired Jason to kick his leg and fling his head from side to side like Michael . But it has been a long time since I could watch Michael Jackson videos without feeling sad . His death is only the next stage of the loss . Michael Jackson left the music world to mourn -- but many of us , especially black Americans , felt like we lost a family member on Thursday . He pained and puzzled us , but we still loved him . Until Thursday , some of us had forgotten how much . Michael was not always easy to love . He tested us , sometimes asking us to ignore what we could see with our own eyes . We may never know fully what Michael did or did n't do , but he was like the lost relative we wished we could bring back to shore . When Jason asked questions about Michael 's changing face in the videos , I showed him the beautiful brown-skinned , bright-eyed little boy who grew up in my family 's living room . There is supreme irony in the death of Michael Jackson the same year as the inauguration of the first black president . Michael , who would ascend higher than any black artist in music history , learned a bitter lesson : Even at the top of the mountain , there is only the man in the mirror . Jason is n't old enough to fully understand black and white , why his grandmother was sent to jail for ordering a hamburger at a Woolworth lunch counter in 1960 , or how an ill-used child 's soul might never find its way back home . So I told Jason about the time Mommy , Grandma , Grandpa , Aunt Lydia and Aunt Johnita -LSB- now an assistant general counsel at CNN -RSB- drove from Miami to Jacksonville to see the Jacksons ' Victory Tour in 1984 , when Michael Jackson ruled the world . How his aunties and I dressed up for the concert in our own gloves . After the concert , still floating from the surreal experience , we approached a stretch limousine on the highway . As my father sidled our car closer and my sisters and I pressed our noses to the window to try to see , the limo 's tinted electric window slid down . A sparkling silver glove waved out to us . When we saw that glove , the whole car screamed -- even my father , who was driving . My sisters and I begged my father to follow the limousine ... and it finally came to a stop in front of our budget hotel . When the rear door opened , a white blond-haired decoy stepped out -- wearing a silver Michael Jackson glove . If only we 'd never seen past the tinted window . If only we had a perfect memory of Michael waving goodbye . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Tananarive Due . | Tananarive Due : My family mourned the loss of Michael Jackson last week . In some ways , she says , the mourning began long ago with his puzzling behavior . She says many black Americans forgot how much they loved him . | [[482, 510], [1528, 1542], [1545, 1580]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After the fire , all that was left of Jonathan Reyes ' massive Hot Wheels collection was a piece of metal that once was part of a toy car . Jonathan Reyes shows off his new Hot Wheels cars sent by Mattel after they heard his own toys were lost in a fire . But on Wednesday , the arrival of two cardboard boxes at his grandparents ' house sent 7-year-old Jonathan flying to the door , said his mother , Jan Reyes . Mattel , the company that makes Hot Wheels , sent racetracks , play sets , stickers , folders , T-shirts , hats and hundreds of toy cars . `` He was speechless , '' Reyes said . `` He did n't say anything . He just smiled . He opened it up . It was like Christmas . All of us were bawling , crying . He was so happy . '' Jonathan , who has autism , meticulously collected more than 500 Hot Wheels . But all that was destroyed when his Sylmar home , along with hundreds of other structures , were burned down by wildfires in Los Angeles County . Toys are like anchors for children with autism , psychologists say . They like to play with the same toys , eat familiar foods and be in a consistent environment . When faced with unpredictable changes , they can feel frustrated or anxious and become disruptive , according to experts . On Tuesday , Jonathan and his parents searched for his toys among piles of debris , but they found only a piece of a Hot Wheels car and a rusty tricycle . The rest of Jonathan 's toys were reduced to ashes . Watch the Reyes family return to their home . '' Mattel , with headquarters in El Segundo , California , wanted to get involved after hearing on CNN that Jonathan , who had been collecting Hot Wheels since he was 2 , had lost everything . Looking for hope in the ashes . `` We wanted to send as many as possible , '' said Deborah Dicochea , associate manager of the Mattel Children 's Foundation , which sends toys globally to children affected by crisis . `` With autistic children , they like sorting them , arranging them . '' Offers of toys , a computer , resources to connect to other families dealing with autism and financial donations have been pouring into the family . `` It 's wonderful , because he literally lost every toy he had , '' Reyes said . `` He had a personal attachment to all of his toys . Part of autism is they have a little connection to everything and his biggest thing was to his cars . For Mattel to send him the cars and tracks , it 's just incredible . He is so happy . '' The toll of the disruption to Jonathan 's life is starting to become evident . He has been throwing more frequent tantrums as his parents are trying to establish a new routine . But the toys definitely have helped , Reyes said . `` The cars were like gold , '' she said . | Box full of Hot Wheels sent to boy with autism who lost everything . Familiar toys are important for children with autism . It was `` like Christmas '' to receive donations , mother says . | [[184, 274], [1690, 1711], [675, 698]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The American Psychological Association concluded Wednesday that there is little evidence that efforts to change a person 's sexual orientation from gay or lesbian to heterosexual are effective . The report looks at 87 studies conducted between 1960 and 2007 . In addition , the 138-page report -- covering 87 peer-reviewed studies -- said that such efforts may cause harm . `` Contrary to claims of sexual orientation change advocates and practitioners , there is insufficient evidence to support the use of psychological interventions to change sexual orientation , '' said Judith M. Glassgold , chairwoman of the task force that presented the report at the group 's annual meeting in Toronto , Canada . The Washington-based association represents more than 150,000 members . `` At most , certain studies suggested that some individuals learned how to ignore or not act on their homosexual attractions . Yet , these studies did not indicate for whom this was possible , how long it lasted or its long-term mental health effects . Also , this result was much less likely to be true for people who started out only attracted to people of the same sex . '' In response , the group 's governing Council of Representatives passed a resolution Wednesday urging mental health professionals not to recommend to their clients that they can change their sexual orientation through therapy or any other methods . The group 's Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation reached its conclusion after its review of 87 studies conducted between 1960 and 2007 and finding `` serious methodological problems '' in the vast majority of them . Those few studies that did have `` high-quality '' evidence `` show that enduring change to an individual 's sexual orientation is uncommon , '' it said . In addition , the report cited evidence that efforts to switch a person 's sexual orientation through aversive treatments might cause harm , including loss of sexual feeling , suicidality , depression and anxiety . Many who tried to change and failed `` described their experiences as a significant cause of emotional and spiritual distress and negative self-image , '' it said . The six-member task force was appointed two years ago to address concerns about `` efforts to promote the notion that sexual orientation can be changed through psychotherapy or approaches that mischaracterize homosexuality as a mental disorder . '' The American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1975 . The task force noted that some people attempt to change their sexual orientation because it conflicts with their religious beliefs , and recommended that their mental health care providers help them `` explore possible life paths that address the reality of their sexual orientation , reduce the stigma associated with homosexuality , respect the client 's religious beliefs , and consider possibilities for a religiously and spiritually meaningful and rewarding life . '' `` In other words , '' said Glassgold , `` we recommend that psychologists be completely honest about the likelihood of sexual orientation change , and that they help clients explore their assumptions and goals with respect to both religion and sexuality . '' Alan Chambers , president of Exodus International , a network of more than 250 ministries that he said `` reach out to men and women and families that are affected by what we call ` unwanted same-sex attraction ' '' disagrees . He offered himself as proof that such efforts can work . `` The fact is that there are tens of thousands of men and women just like me who once identified as gay , '' Chambers said in a telephone interview . `` For me and for these people , the truth is change is possible . '' Chambers said his transformation from gay man began more than 18 years ago , when he attended a support group at the organization he now leads . Chambers , who said he married a woman nearly 12 years ago , has written a book , `` Leaving Homosexuality , '' which was published last month . `` You ca n't refute a personal story , '' he said , adding that about a third of those who try to switch their sexual orientation through the group 's ministries wind up doing so . `` We 're not talking a light switch that you turn on and off , we 're talking about very deep and complex issues that , I think , take years to resolve . '' Though all mainstream health and mental health organizations concluded years ago that homosexuality is not a mental disorder , the American Psychological Association formed the task force to work on the report two years ago after noting a resurgence of groups that identified homosexuality as a defect or spiritual or moral failing . | American Psychological Association : Trying to change orientation can be harmful . Group urges mental health professionals not to advocate changing orientation . Homosexuality de-listed as mental disorder in ' 75 , but some programs still treat it . Official with one such program says , `` Change is possible '' | [[293, 315], [353, 392], [1841, 2041], [1188, 1336], [1275, 1421], [2456, 2587]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- South American nations have always played a major part in the world of football , and when it comes to the World Cup they are considered among the main contenders every time . But this time around there may be a new threat from the continent making its mark internationally . Nelson Valdez -LRB- left -RRB- celebrates his goal against Venezuela , Tuesday , to keep Paraguay top in qualifying . Out of 18 World Cup Finals to date , a South American team has won the competition nine times , demonstrating that although Europe may be where the money is , the other side of the Atlantic has the raw talent . Generally speaking , however , the continent 's dominance has been largely down to two countries : Brazil , who have won the title an astonishing five times ; and Argentina , who have made it to the tournament 's final match four times and taken the trophy home twice . The rest of the continent has rarely played a major part in the proceedings . Now , though , as the qualifying stages for the 2010 World Cup Finals gather speed , the two giants are being put to shame by a footballing nation that has , until now , had very limited success at international events : Paraguay . Having only qualified for the finals seven times , and never made it further than the second round of the competition , Paraguay are n't usually seen as a serious threat to the big international teams , but this year the bookmakers may have to take a serious look at the small country from the center of the continent , with a population of just 6.1 million . Following Tuesday night 's 2-0 victory over Venezuela , Paraguay cemented their position at the top of the South American qualifying group , with 17 points from eight matches -- four points clear of the faltering Argentina and Brazil , who share second place . So far in the group , the Paraguayans have recorded a 2-0 home win over Brazil and managed to secure a 1-1 draw away to the recent Olympic champions Argentina , proving they can keep up with the best in the world , even without one of their star players , striker Roque Santa Cruz , who was injured for the Buenos Aires fixture . So , how are they managing it ? And can they continue this form through the qualifiers and into the finals themselves ? Since 2006 , the team has undergone some radical changes . A lot of big names in the squad and behind the scenes left the team following Paraguay 's relatively poor performance in the World Cup Finals in Germany . So it was goodbye to the old , including Paraguay 's most capped player , Carlos Gamarra and coach , Anibal Ruiz , who has been replaced by Argentine Gerardo `` Tata '' Martino . But this left the door open for a whole new face for the nation 's team . And the new breed of players clearly have a lot of skill , impressing people all over the world . Players like Santa Cruz , for the English Premier League side Blackburn Rovers , and Edgar Barreto , an integral part of the Reggina Calcio squad in Italy 's Serie A , represent Paraguay 's swelling talent in the major European leagues . The Paraguayan presence in the world 's top leagues , shows the depth of their squad , and it also means players will be given the benefit of experiencing top level football on a regular basis ; something that can only aid the development of an already talented player . The style the team plays -- emphasizing a strength in attack , boosted by Santa Cruz and his gifted strike partners , Club America 's Salvador Cabanas and Borussia Dortmund 's Nelson Valdez -- hints at a tactical change , as well . In the past , the Paraguayans have relied heavily on a solid defense to secure results , and not always had the goals to back that up . Now , although the defense is still strong -- featuring Boca Juniors regular Claudio Morel Rodriguez , and the powerful partnership of Paulo Da Silva and Julio Cesar Caceres -- there is some flair up front , which the manager is capitalizing on . So , with an influx of good players , who are getting the necessary top level experience and a manager who knows how to get the most out of his team , this may be an opportunity for a new country to step to the foreground from South America and end the dominance of Brazil and Argentina . As the table stands now , Paraguay are looking good to qualify , and if they can exercise the same level of skill they have shown in the opening eight matches , they could top the group and head to South Africa as the team to watch in the finals . | In the past Brazil and Argentina have dominated South American football . Paraguay are challenging , beating Brazil and topping World Cup qualifying group . The team has had a reshape since 2006 , many new , talented players . Experience of playing in major leagues across the world helps player development . | [[465, 523], [672, 737], [337, 380], [393, 429], [1581, 1634], [1637, 1719], [1864, 1920], [4296, 4332], [2292, 2302], [2305, 2350], [3186, 3188], [3194, 3287]] |
-LRB- CareerBuilder.com -RRB- -- The importance of references seems to be a hot topic these days . Employers want to make sure they are hiring the right person for the job ; but some thwart the process because checking references can be labor-intensive . On the other hand , job seekers provide references they know will give a glowing report , but employers are getting smarter and finding references you did n't provide . So , what 's the deal ? Do references matter ? Do employers even check them anymore ? What 's the protocol for providing them to a potential employer ? Who are the best people to include as references ? And , if an employer does n't call any of your references , is it a bad sign ? While the definitive answer to any of these questions depends on the employer , overall , yes , references do still matter . The process has just changed . `` References play a huge role in the hiring process , perhaps now more than ever , '' said Heather R. Huhman , founder and president of Come Recommended , an online community that connects internship and entry-level job candidates with employers . '' Oftentimes , hiring managers fall in love with a candidate on paper and then again in an interview , only to find out through a reference check that none of their previous employers would ever hire them again . By checking a candidate 's references , hiring managers save themselves the frustration of hiring a person who is not a good fit for a company . In this economy , where hiring budgets are slim , every hire must be a great fit . '' Provided references are no guarantee . Though the majority of employers do check references , others skip this step . Not only is it labor-intensive to check references for people who might not be poised for a job offer , but Jack Harsh , adjunct professor at the University of Richmond Robins School of Business , said that many employers worry about the risk of liability in rejecting a candidate based on poor references . '' -LSB- Hiring -RSB- decisions can not be based on information that is discriminatory in nature , so to avoid any liability , the checks are forgone , '' Harsh said . `` Sadly , the first reference the employer gets in such cases is from colleagues after employment has begun . '' Steve Langerud , director of career development at Depauw University , adds that sometimes , the quality of references is benign . `` Everyone wants to be helpful and supportive to former employees , but in the end , they offer little substance to a new employer , '' he says . `` Legally , they are limited by what they can or want to say about former employees . I think the old formal system of references is dead in most professional fields . '' Langerud warns that just because an employer is n't checking personal references the traditional way does n't mean he is n't checking references at all . `` Employers are more likely to check the informal , but tangible , behavioral reference sources like LinkedIn , Facebook , credit history -LSB- or -RSB- criminal history than the more subjective references provided by candidates , '' he said . `` Candidates should be much more intentional about crafting a professional identity that serves the role of a ` reference ' but within the context of the work , profession and colleagues you seek to engage . It eliminates the weaknesses inherent in the old style of references that become so watered down they are useless . '' Making the right choices . The last thing you want to do is give an employer useless references , but many job seekers make the mistake of not taking the time to thoughtfully choose the right people to speak on their behalf , said Elaine Varelas , managing partner for Keystone Partners , an outplacement and talent management consulting firm . `` You want people who can speak to your role as a professional , not as a nice neighbor , '' Varelas said . `` Candidates can make their references count by prepping them to discuss their specific skills as they relate to the job and the impact they brought to the job , which can be just the differentiation needed in this highly competitive market . '' Harsh agrees that when he receives a résumé with references attached , he gives them virtually no weight . `` They seldom are specific to the role my company seeks and are not meaningful in considering qualifications or traits of successful candidate , '' he said . Finally , when it comes to protocol for submitting references , the process has changed as well . It used to be that applicants sent them in with their other application materials , but now , Varelas says , you should wait to provide references until you are asked . `` Most companies do not want your references until the end of the process and they will let you know when to provide a list of names and contact information . Do not send written references , '' she said . `` These do not offer the highest impact as they are not specific on how you will fit into the job you are pursuing . It is better to spend your time preparing your references for the kinds of questions they will be asked , and what they can do to help you close an offer . '' Helpful hints . Harsh , Varelas and Langerud offer these 10 tips to ensure you do everything right when it comes to providing references : . 1 . Include references only when requested by an employer . 2 . Carefully consider whom to provide after discussion with the prospective employer . The time to check references is before an offer is made , but after the candidate is either the final candidate or among the final few for the job . 3 . Seek references from people who actually know you and your work . Ask for permission to list them as a reference . 4 . Ask directly if they can provide you with a positive reference for the position -LRB- s -RRB- you are seeking . If they hesitate , move on ! 5 . Prepare your references about who will be calling them and what to focus on when talking about you . Always ask them to call you after they have been called . 6 . Prepare your references to speak consistently about your skills , but not identically . Suggest a different highlight for each person . Have 100 percent confidence in what they will say and how they speak about you , or cross them off the list . 7 . Provide accurate contact information about your references , and ask your references how they prefer to be contacted -LRB- e-mail , phone , etc. -RRB- . 8 . Let your references know what happens to you and the position -LRB- s -RRB- you applied for . Thank your references . 9 . Prepare a LinkedIn site to demonstrate your skills and interests . 10 . Participate in professional blogs to create a history of professional involvement in your field that is independent of your work history . | Refrences still matter these days , but the process has changed on how they are used . Often times an employer will use more informal tools like Facebook and LinkedIn , said an expert . Make sure to include references only when requested by an employer , and never before . Seek references from people who actually know you and your work , not just personaly . | [[0, 29], [68, 98], [802, 830], [831, 861], [4408, 4415], [4418, 4469], [4472, 4498], [4613, 4674], [5304, 5359], [5304, 5322], [5328, 5359], [5364, 5373], [5388, 5447], [3786, 3874], [5601, 5628], [5622, 5628], [5633, 5666], [5720, 5799]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Doctors chose a woman who survived a shotgun wound to her face as the first recipient of a face transplant after treating her for nearly four years . This image projects what Connie Culp , 46 , may look like two years after the face transplant . Connie Culp knew of the Cleveland Clinic 's interest in face transplants and approached the medical staff , doctors said at a news conference Tuesday . Dr. Maria Siemionow , the Cleveland , Ohio , hospital 's director of plastic surgery research and head of microsurgery training , had more than 20 years of experience in complex transplants . By 2004 , Siemionow was looking for the right candidate for a face transplant who was n't doing it for vanity . `` They are not looking to go out on the street and be beautiful , '' Siemionow told CNN in a 2006 interview . `` Some of these patients , when they were interviewed just said ' I want to walk on the street and just make sure I am not sticking out . ' They just want to have a normal face . '' The doctors examined the patient 's history , motivation and ability to understand the risks of the transplant . And they found Culp to be an ideal candidate . Five years after a gun blast shattered her nose , cheeks and upper lip , she had a band of scar tissue extending across her face . `` The most devastating of all was the fact that society had rejected her and children were afraid of her , '' said Siemionow , who led the December 10 transplant operation . See before and after photos of Culp '' Culp , a mother of two and a grandmother , told her doctors she could understand that some adults would shun her . `` But what really bothered her the most were children -- the children that shied away from her , '' said Dr. Frank Papay , the chairman of Institute of Dermatology and Plastic Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic . `` That sense of innocence , and her not being able to see that innocence really , really affected her . '' The shooting . In September 2004 , Culp 's estranged husband shot her in the face in an attempted murder-suicide outside a restaurant in Hopedale , Ohio , according to CNN affiliate WTOV in Steubenville , Ohio . Culp was 8 feet away from her husband , Thomas Culp , when he pulled the shotgun 's trigger . He then turned the weapon on himself , according to local news reports . They both survived . Thomas Culp was sent to prison . Despite her wounds , she told WTOV in 2008 , `` I 'll always love him . He was my first love . '' At the same time , Culp said , she felt angry . `` I would n't be human if I did n't . I forgive him , but I have to go on , you know ? '' After the shooting , Culp recuperated in a hospital and in a personal care home for two years . Culp told WTOV she had vision problems and was learning Braille . Her approach to life was to `` keep motivated . Do n't sleep your life away -- that could have happened . I could be depressed . I 'm not . '' As she spoke , her breaths emitted a small whistle from her tracheotomy tube , which protruded from a surgical opening in her neck . `` I can not smell . I will never be able to smell , '' she said in the interview . Culp was wrong . How doctors transplanted a face . The doctors at the Cleveland Clinic analyzed Culp 's injuries using CAT scans and developed plastic models of her skull . They practiced face transplant operation on cadavers several times . Culp met with the hospital 's surgeons , ethical committee members and psychiatry and psychology specialists who determined that she was an ideal candidate for the surgery . Then , the wait for the right donor began in 2008 . `` We thought we were going to wait a long time because we had to find a Caucasian female in her mid 40s to match Connie , so we expected a year before we were able to find a donor , '' said Papay , who is also head of craniofacial surgery . `` Well , three to four months later , I got a call at around midnight from Dr. Siemionow saying ' I think we have a donor . ' '' The family of a brain dead woman granted permission to use her face . He likened the preparation for the December transplant to a rocket launch , saying , `` Everything was prepared beforehand very , very , very carefully . '' Surgeons sheared out the donor 's mid-facial area including the lower eyelids , cheekbones , the nose , some of the sinus and the whole upper jaw , with the blood vessels . Watch CNN 's Dr. Sanjay Gupta discuss the face transplant '' When it came time to move the donor 's parts to Culp , they had to see that the donor and recipient parts aligned . `` One of the ways you can tell that is how your upper teeth fit to the lower teeth , '' Papay said . `` We knew it was like a hand in a glove , exactly where we needed to be . '' They secured the bones into Culp 's face using titanium plates and screws . Then the microvascular surgeons attached the vessels . They tucked the scars around Culp 's ears or underneath her eyelid , where they would not be visible . How the doctors operated '' Doctors added more skin than needed in case of tissue rejection . After monitoring Culp 's progress , doctors say they will remove the excess tissue and tighten her jawline in future surgeries . Contrary to science fiction and movies , the surgery did not make Culp look like the donor . `` If you just took the skin and transplanted it to the other patient , the bony structure is different , '' Papay said . `` If you took the bony structure and transplanted it on the other side , it ends up being a composite . So , it does n't look like the donor . It does n't look like the recipient . It ends up looking like someone new . '' Recovery . At this point , all the transplanted parts of Culp 's face are functioning except for her facial nerves , which are growing about an inch a month . Doctors anticipate Culp will be able to have full facial function -- and more expression -- by this winter . In physical therapy , she learns to train her nerves , make facial expressions , smile and purse her lips , doctors said . `` If you cry or you laugh or you smile , it 's not like you think about it . You just emotionally do it . So that 's a wait and see for us , '' Papay said . `` As far as the emotional one , that 's really the key issue . A far as when she laughs , cries and grimaces and gets angry at you ... what 's her face going to look like ? That 's the exciting part about it . '' Five months after the first face transplant in the United States , Culp lives at home . She has checkups with the medical staff once or twice a month and will do so for the next year , her doctors said . Initially , Culp used immunosuppressants that transplanted kidney , liver or heart patients would normally take . Transplant patients must take immune-suppressing drugs throughout their lifetime to prevent tissue rejection . But she showed improvements that enabled the doctors to reduce her regimen to one medication , doctors said . `` She 's taking her medications , '' Siemionow said . `` We know she is compliant . She cares about how she looks . She has her hair done in a new color ... She is full of life . She does her push-ups . She 's on the treadmill . What else can I say ? '' | Face transplant recipient was shot in 2004 by her husband . In a 2008 interview she told CNN affiliate that she forgave her husband . Doctors say Connie Culp fit criteria for ideal face transplant recipient . | [[19, 168], [1969, 1986], [1989, 2074], [2572, 2585], [1128, 1174]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Shoes tell a lot about a person . If you stumbled into my closet , you would probably think I was a security guard , a construction worker or a Nurse Ratched wannabe . My taste in shoes tends to be boxy , low-heeled and sturdy . If the equipment is n't cleaned properly , you could be at risk for infection when you get a pedicure . So it probably does n't surprise you to learn that when it comes to pedicures , I am hardly a nail salon enabler . Unfortunately , in some sort of twisted cosmic comedy , both my teen and my tween daughters are pedicure addicts . To pedicure addicts , there is nothing better than being seated in those massive padded massage chairs , chin deep in fashion magazines , while some woman bathes , chisels , files and paints their toes . And up until now , the only thing I worried about was how much the extra flower motif on her big toe was going to cost me . Now , I have plenty of other stuff to worry about . Dr. Dina Tsentserensky , a podiatrist in New York , made it clear . `` I definitely see patients that have had problems as a result of getting a pedicure , '' she said . `` I guess the most common is fungal nails . '' Fungal nails !!! I really do n't want to pay for that . The National Institutes of Health , unfortunately , describes fungal nail in less-than-clear terms : Fungal nail infection is an infection of the nails by a fungus . Prescription treatments are only about 50 percent effective , and most of these infections usually require the loss of the infected nail itself , the NIH Web site says . Cuts , scrapes and some other infections are also common results of seemingly soothing foot romps . Tsentserensky thinks it 's nothing new . `` I think it 's a chronic problem that has been going on for a while , '' she said . `` People just maybe chose to ignore it or do n't pay attention as much as they should . '' Anyone who did pay attention could have known about some of those risks eight years ago . That 's when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported finding a nasty infection that hit more than 100 pedicure patients . The culprit : a less-than-sterile footbath screen . The result : an infection called mycobacterium fortuitum . That mouthful of a malady left these customers , most of them women , with prolonged boils on their lower legs and some long-term scars . Although that report prompted nail salons to clean the screens on those foot baths more often , it does n't mean that in the land of pedicure pampering , you can just relax and enjoy the polishing . Tsentserensky 's chief advice is to be on high cleanliness alert . `` I tell patients to make sure that the bathtubs are being cleaned properly , that they are using enough time in between so the disinfectant has time to work , '' she said . And the magic timeframe , according to the Environmental Protection Agency , is about 10 minutes between clients . The EPA also stresses that to ensure the safest conditions , the tubs need to be cleaned with an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant , which means the bottle itself will have a EPA registration number listed somewhere on the label . But it 's not just the tubs that need to be clean . So do those instruments . `` Make sure that instruments are getting sterilized properly , '' Tsentserensky cautions , `` that they are using a sterilizer or an autoclave to properly sanitize the instruments or using the liquids for the proper periods of time . '' Timing is also important , but that 's a condition that 's on your side . Do n't get a pedicure right after you 've shaved your legs , had laser hair removal or have any cuts or bites on your legs . Any opening in the skin is an invitation that you might not want to be extending . And finally , make sure you can communicate with your nail technician to ensure he or she is taking the proper precautions to make your pedicure a stress-free experience and , more important , to ensure that the only thing you 're taking with you when you leave that salon is the pretty polish . | Some people get fungal nails or infections from pedicures . Make sure that instruments are getting sterilized properly . Tubs need to be cleaned with an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant . | [[307, 369], [1051, 1133], [1355, 1419], [3255, 3315], [3001, 3075], [3195, 3203], [3209, 3227]] |
One doctor says the study `` very clearly shows that autism did not arrive through a vaccine . '' A new study published in the January 2008 issue of Archives of General Psychiatry found the prevalence of autism cases in California children continued to rise after most vaccine manufacturers started to remove the mercury-based preservative thimerosal in 1999 , suggesting that the chemical was not a primary cause of the disorder . Researchers from the State Public Health Department found that the autism rates in children rose continuously during the study period from 1995 to 2007 . The preservative , thimerosal , has not been used in childhood vaccines since 2001 , except for some flu shots . The latest findings failed to convince some parents and advocacy groups , who have long blamed mercury , a neurotoxin , for the disorder . For years , parents have been concerned that a mercury-containing vaccine preservative may play a role in autism . But a study conducted in California found that autism rates increased even after thimerosal was removed from most vaccines . The study authors say this is evidence that thimerosal does not cause autism , although advocacy groups say it 's too soon to determine whether autism rates have been affected . Do these findings suggest that autism is n't linked to mercury in vaccines ? Dr. Sanjay Gupta , chief medical correspondent : Let me explain . In 1999 , manufacturers began removing thimerosal - which is a mercury-based preservative - from vaccines . Some people believed autism would decrease as a result , because they thought the two were connected . A new study in the Archives of General Psychiatry says this just did n't happen . Researchers looked at cases of autism in California after 1999 . They reasoned that if mercury exposure in vaccines was a major cause of autism , the number of affected kids should have dropped after thimerosal was removed . Just the opposite happened . From 2004 to 2007 , when exposure to thimerosal dropped significantly for 3 - to 5-year-olds , the autism rate continued to go up , from 3 per 1,000 children to 4 per 1,000 children in California . A child psychiatrist who supported the study said it `` very clearly shows that autism did not arrive through a vaccine . '' But advocacy groups say it 's too soon to determine whether autism rates were affected by removing thimerosal from vaccines . The National Vaccine Information Center says the study does n't include children under the age of 3 , which they say is the only group that was never exposed to mercury in vaccines . It says thimerosal was n't completely off the shelves until 2002 or 2003 . Their main point is that mercury is a neurotoxin , so why take a chance by putting it in vaccines ? What do scientists think causes autism ? As many as one in every 166 children in this country is found to have autism , and doctors still do n't know why . Doctors point to genetics and environment as culprits , but it could be more complicated than that . The latest research shows these children are not necessarily born with autism but with the potential to develop it . What exactly are these outside factors ? It 's hard to pinpoint . What we eat , what we breathe , what we drink -- all these things could play a role . Some doctors say the increase is due to a change in the way the condition is diagnosed kids who were once labeled mentally retarded are now being labeled as autistic . What are possible signs of autism in your child ? Doctors are now looking for signs of autism in children as young as 18 to 24 months . Some red flags that indicate your child may have autism : no babbling or pointing by 12 months , no single words by 16 months , no brief phrases by 24 months , loss of language or social skills . If you see any of these signs , the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends seeing a pediatric neurologist , developmental pediatrician or child psychologist . What led companies to remove thimerosal from vaccines to begin with ? Several things pushed companies in this direction . Over the past decade , more and more attention was given to the health effects of mercury on humans . And then in the '90s , the CDC added new vaccines to the list of routine shots that children should get . Some of them used thimerosal as a preservative . This was happening while the government was trying to decrease our exposure to mercury . So the FDA began looking into the issue . In 1997 , Congress passed a bill that mandated review of products containing mercury , which led manufacturers to begin removing thimerosal from vaccines two years later . | Removal of thimerosal from most vaccines has n't reduced the number of autism cases diagnosed in the state of California . | [[957, 1077]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Health officials say the H1N1 virus , commonly known as the swine flu , is likely to cause more illnesses and deaths in the United States , even though much of the initial anxiety has eased . A researcher investigates swine flu at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta , Georgia . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported higher levels of flu activity than the average for mid-May and an unusual number of outbreaks in schools . Some clinics reported high numbers of respiratory diseases more commonly seen during the peak of flu season . `` We do think that the way the virus is spreading in the U.S. , we are not out of the woods , and the disease is continuing , '' said Dr. Anne Schuchat , interim deputy director for science and public health program at the CDC in a news conference this week . In the United States , six deaths have been linked to the swine flu , although it 's unclear whether these were caused by the virus or pre-existing conditions . Nationwide , at least 5,123 cases of H1N1 flu have been reported , although the actual number of people affected may be higher . New data released by the CDC Tuesday showed that the majority of the 30 patients who were hospitalized with H1N1 in California had other medical conditions , such as chronic heart and lung disease , suppressed immune system , diabetes , and obesity . None of the patients died . They had fevers , coughs , vomiting and shortness of breath , according to the CDC report that examined the patients . Six of them were admitted to the intensive care unit and four required mechanical ventilation . See an explanation of H1N1 flu '' Five of them were pregnant -- two of the fetuses did not survive . Earlier this month , Judy Dominguez Trunnell became the first U.S. resident to die from complications of the H1N1 flu . Her daughter was delivered via emergency Caesarean section . Dominguez Trunnell felt body aches and numbing in the left side of her face and went to the hospital , her husband , Steven Trunnell , told CNN 's Larry King . Watch the interview . '' Trunnell has filed a wrongful death claim against Smithfield Foods , a pork and meat producer , alleging that the company 's actions may have contributed to the virus ' creation . `` She was a healthy , pregnant woman who was eight months pregnant until she contracted the virus , '' he said . `` She became acutely ill , but she was never diagnosed with any major medical complications of any kind . '' Health officials have said repeatedly since the outbreak 's beginning that the virus can not be contracted from eating pork . Pregnancy increases the risk of certain medical problems and creating complications from the flu , Schuchat said . `` There is some immunosuppression that occurs during pregnancy , '' she said . `` There maybe also a role of the mechanical effect of pregnancy in decreasing the lung capacity that maybe you 're not easily able to handle lung infection or respiratory problems . '' Early steps toward an H1N1 vaccine are being taken . The process could take between five and six months from the time the virus appeared to when the vaccine would be available to the public , officials have said . Tom Skinner , a CDC spokesman , said the agency has sent H1N1 strains to roughly seven labs around the world to use in the first steps of vaccine development . The CDC expects to get the viruses back from the institutions by the end of the month and `` if we do go in the direction of producing a vaccine , we could see the production of pilot lots , and clinical trials , beginning as soon as late June . '' Though the initial surveillance of the California cases indicates that most healthy patients recovered and were discharged after short hospital stays , those with other medical conditions had greater complications . `` Our best estimate right now is that the fatality -LSB- with the H1N1 -RSB- is likely a little bit higher than seasonal influenza , but not necessarily substantially higher , '' Schuchat said . The seasonal flu kills 36,000 people every year . While people of all ages get the seasonal flu , its complications more severely affect older people or those with weakened immune systems . About 95 percent of people who die from the seasonal flu are 65 years old and above , according to the World Health Organization . Many of the confirmed and probable cases for the H1N1 virus have been younger people between the ages of 5 and 24 . `` The hospitalizations that we 're tracking have this disproportionate occurrence among younger persons , '' Schuchat said . `` That 's very unusual to have so many people under 20 requiring hospitalization and in some of those intensive care units . '' While there have been no deaths in that age group in the United States , Schuchat said : `` We would not be surprised to see serious hospitalizations and deaths occurring in people in this age group and I think we need to be prepared for that . '' `` It 's important to dispel the idea that we 're out of the woods , or that this was a problem that really did n't merit response , '' she said . `` Influenza is unpredictable , and we really need to stay attuned to that , to be prepared for surprises in the days and weeks ahead . '' And the flu viruses can mutate . Dr. Dan Jernigan , deputy director for the CDC 's influenza division said last week , `` We 're not seeing significant evidence of any mutation towards more virulence in the U.S. '' H1N1 flu activity has been confirmed in 22 states and appears to be most active in the Southwest . In April , concerns about the H1N1 virus prompted travel warnings , airport checks and school closures . The outbreak has sickened 9,830 people worldwide and caused at least 79 deaths -- mostly in Mexico , according to the WHO . Last month , U.S. officials discouraged all nonessential travel to Mexico after the flu strain killed dozens of people there . On Friday , the CDC downgraded its warning and advised people with medical complications , advanced age or pregnancy to check with a doctor before going on a trip to Mexico . CNN medical senior producers Saundra Young and Shahreen Abedin contributed to this report . | CDC reported higher levels of flu activity than the average for mid-May . Health officials warn disease is likely to continue and contribute to more deaths . Initial data shows hospitalized patients had underlying medical conditions . | [[320, 482], [0, 15], [91, 156], [593, 717], [4832, 4941], [1193, 1224], [1271, 1394], [3646, 3826], [3791, 3854]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An advisory panel is recommending a major step up in protection for health workers dealing with patients suspected or confirmed to have H1N1 influenza . One expert says that based on current knowledge , N95 respirators offer health workers the best protection . The Institute of Medicine said Thursday , in recommendations requested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , that loose paper masks are inadequate because the workers could still breathe in the virus . Instead , health workers should switch to N95 respirators that form an airtight seal around the nose and mouth . If properly fitted and worn correctly , N95 respirators filter out at least 95 percent of particles as small as 0.3 micrometers , which is smaller than influenza viruses , the report notes . The institute provides independent , evidence-based advice to policymakers , health professionals , private entities and the public . It is one of four groups that make up the National Academies . The study released Thursday was requested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration . `` Scientists do not know to what extent flu viruses spread through the air or whether infection requires physical contact with contaminated fluids or surfaces , '' a summary of the report says . It calls for `` a boost in research to answer these questions and to design and develop better protective equipment that would enhance workers ' comfort , safety and ability to do their jobs . '' `` Based on what we currently know about influenza , well-fitted N95 respirators offer health care workers the best protection against inhalation of viral particles , '' said committee chairman Kenneth Shine , executive vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Texas in Austin . He is a former president of the institute . `` But there is a lot we still do n't know about these viruses , and it would be a mistake for anyone to rely on respirators alone as some sort of magic shield . '' Health care workers should use several strategies to guard against infection , such as innovative triage processes , washing hands , disinfecting , wearing gloves , getting vaccinated and using antiviral drugs , Shine said . The institute was asked specifically to evaluate personal protective equipment designed to guard against respiratory infection , and therefore the committee focused on the efficacy of medical masks and respirators . | Panel recommends health care workers wear N95 respirators for H1N1 patients . N95 respirators form an airtight seal around the nose and mouth . They filter out at least 95 percent of particles as small as 0.3 micrometers . Report says it is not known to what extent flu viruses spread through the air . | [[240, 298], [525, 572], [1609, 1720], [557, 572], [578, 627], [1609, 1720], [668, 755], [1165, 1260]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The World Health Organization announced Tuesday it is still considering increasing its pandemic alert level to phase 6 because of growing worldwide cases of the H1N1 virus , or swine flu . WHO considers raising the pandemic alert level to 6 as cases of H1N1 increase worldwide . `` Globally , we are at phase 5 , but we are nearing phase 6 , '' said Dr. Keiji Fukuda , WHO 's Assistant Director General . `` As this continues to spread internationally , some countries are moving from isolated to sustained community spread . '' Phase 6 is a declaration that many member countries have long feared could mean economic disaster . It is the highest on the WHO 's pandemic alert system , and is described by the organization as a global pandemic . Fukuda was quick to remind journalists that the designation does not reflect the severity of the disease , but how widespread it is . `` Our overall assessment of severity is moderate , '' he said , `` because although the overall number of serious and fatal cases is relatively limited ... we really do n't have a full handle on the number of people with serious illness . '' Fukuda said nearly 19,000 cases of the H1N1 virus have been reported in 64 countries , resulting in 117 deaths . | World Health Organization considers increasing pandemic alert level to phase 6 . Designation does not reflect the severity of the disease , but how widespread it is . Phase 6 is highest on pandemic alert system and means global pandemic . | [[0, 15], [19, 137], [67, 69], [73, 195], [102, 207], [208, 285], [764, 868], [875, 897], [102, 207], [648, 701], [648, 650], [702, 763]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A sharp increase in the number of reported cases of the H1N1 virus in Australia may prompt the World Health Organization -LRB- WHO -RRB- to declare the first global pandemic in over forty years . Australian rugby league star Karmichael Hunt is one of several players being tested for the H1N1 virus . The number of Australian cases of the virus , commonly known as swine flu , has reached more than 1,200 , with state and federal medical officers set to hold an emergency meeting in Sydney to review the country 's swine flu protection measures . `` We will take each decision along the way in response to the expert medical advice , '' Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation -LRB- ABC -RRB- . On Wednesday it was announced that the entire Brisbane Broncos rugby league squad had been placed into quarantine after one of their players was suspected of having the virus . The Queensland club confirmed on its Web site that full-back Karmichael Hunt was being tested for the virus , while the sport 's governing body , the National Rugby League -LRB- NRL -RRB- , said Hunt had tested positive for the common flu , influenza A. With over 26,000 H1N1 cases worldwide , the WHO could move to Phase 6 , the highest on its pandemic alert system . `` It 's really a matter of making sure that countries are prepared as possible . We do not want people to overly panic , '' Keiji Fukuda , WHO 's Assistant Director General , told ABC . In a statement a day earlier , Fukuda said the WHO had been working extremely hard preparing countries for what a potential move to a global pandemic would entail . `` I want to point out that by going to Phase 6 the activity has become established in at least two regions of the world , '' he said . `` It does not mean that the severity of the situation has increased and that people are getting seriously sick at higher numbers or higher rates than they are right now . '' | Australian cases of the H1N1 virus reach more than 1,200 . Phase 6 is highest on pandemic alert system and means global pandemic . Designation does not reflect the severity of the disease , but how widespread it is . | [[0, 15], [53, 98], [320, 363], [390, 423]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On February 2 , 7-year-old Cameron Dunmore crossed a street to get to his elementary school in Lithonia , Georgia . This scenario takes place thousands of times uneventfully each school day in our country . But this time Cameron did not make it to school . A crossing guard was halting traffic at the time , but the busy intersection did not have a traffic light and one vehicle did not see the boy . Cameron was struck by an SUV and died that same day in the hospital . Remind children to walk , not run , when crossing the street , so drivers have a chance to see them . As a parent who walks my young child to school every day , Cameron 's story is tragically heartbreaking , but unfortunately not unique . In fact , according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration , nearly 5,000 pedestrians died and 70,000 were nonfatally injured in traffic crashes in 2007 . Children are at particular risk because of their size , immature judgment and lack of experience with traffic rules . As we promote walking as a healthy and environmentally sound way to get to school , how can we make sure our children make it there safely ? Read NHTSA 's tips on walking and biking safety . Can seeing red help ? Sally Flocks , president and CEO of PEDS , a pedestrian advocacy organization based in Atlanta , believes that traffic lights or flashing red lights in school zones can make a difference . She cited studies showing that having a marked crosswalk without a light may be more dangerous than having no crosswalk at all , and that yellow lights tend to get ignored compared with red . Flocks encourages the public to urge their legislators to invest in traffic safety measures such as red lights , which can ultimately benefit motorists , cyclists and pedestrians alike . Speed kills . According to a United Kingdom Department of Transportation study , speed really matters . A pedestrian hit by a car traveling 20 mph has a 5 percent chance of being killed , while one hit at 40 mph has an 85 percent chance . Flocks suggests that radar signs that tell how fast you are driving and photo enforcement of speeders at intersections near schools could help save lives . Even without the threat of getting a speeding ticket , I would hope the risk of injuring or killing someone else or ourselves would be enough to remind most of us to slow down , especially in school zones and other congested areas . Give walking and driving your undivided attention . It 's well known that the distraction from talking on a cell phone while driving can be as bad as or even worse than driving drunk . New research shows that cell phone use while walking can also be distracting . Psychologist David C. Schwebel Ph.D. and his associates from the University of Alabama at Birmingham reported in the February 2009 issue of Pediatrics that preadolescents -LRB- ages 10 and 11 -- when most children are mature enough to cross the street by themselves -RRB- talking on cell phones had a greater chance of being hit or nearly hit during a simulated road-crossing exercise . Schwebel explains that crossing a street is much more complex than we may realize , with the need for assessing such variables as the approaching vehicles ' direction and speed , along with the distance and time needed to cross the street . Adding a diversion such as a cell phone conversation causes risky behavior and delayed reactions . Use common safety sense . Do n't check your common sense at the door when you leave for school . Encourage your children to wear brightly colored clothing . Try to walk in groups , and be sure to include adults , who are taller and more visible to drivers . Remind children to walk , and not run , when crossing the streets , so that drivers have a chance to see them . Finally , do n't take any traffic risks : If you 're not sure whether you can cross safely , wait until you can . It could happen anywhere . Cameron 's story took place in metropolitan Atlanta , but it could happen anywhere in America , in my neighborhood or yours . Mourners have placed stuffed animals and flowers at the intersection where Cameron was killed . I 'm going to put some at my crosswalk too , in hopes of reminding us all to be safer pedestrians and drivers . After all , our lives -- and our children 's -- may depend on it . Jennifer Shu , M.D. , is an Atlanta-area pediatrician and mother . She contributes regularly to CNNhealth.com . | NHTSA : Nearly 5,000 pedestrians killed , 70,000 injured non-fatally in 2007 . Children at risk because of size , immature judgment , lack of experience . Drivers should slow down in pedestrian areas ; walkers should hang up cell phone . | [[757, 820], [823, 852], [857, 916], [917, 1034]] |
Peppermint oil , soluble fiber , and antispasmodic drugs can indeed help people with irritable bowel syndrome , according to an analysis of 25 years of research on the condition , which is characterized by bouts of diarrhea and constipation . `` It was n't appreciated how much of an impact -LSB- IBS -RSB- can have on a patient 's quality of life , '' says one researcher . About 10 to 15 percent of people in North America have IBS , and it 's twice as common in women . However , only about one-third of people with the intestinal disorder seek treatment . The exact cause of IBS remains unknown , and that lack of knowledge has led to the use of a variety of treatments , including fiber supplements , probiotics , antidepressants , behavioral-based therapies , psychotherapy , food modification , acupuncture , and laxatives . However , many treatments are controversial because study results have been mixed . Newer and more expensive medications have been introduced to the public , but some were ineffective or withdrawn from the market due to side effects . The recent study sheds light on the cheap and readily available treatments that can help patients , says study coauthor Eamonn M. Quigley , M.D. , a professor of medicine and physiology at University College Cork in Ireland . `` Medical science has tended to ignore IBS ; it was n't appreciated how much of an impact it can have on a patient 's quality of life , '' he says . Health.com : Is that belly ache in your head ? In the new analysis , researchers systematically reviewed 38 studies from the last 25 years ; more than 2,500 volunteers were involved . That research compared therapies -- all relatively cheap , safe , and readily available -- with a placebo or with no treatment at all . The team looked at three treatments -- soluble fiber , peppermint oil , and antispasmodics , which are drugs that relax the smooth muscle in the gut and relieve cramping -- and found that they were all more effective than a placebo , according to the report in the British Medical Journal . But not all fiber is the same . The soluble fiber ispaghula husk , which is also known as psyllium and found in some bulk laxatives , significantly reduced symptoms of IBS , particularly constipation ; insoluble fiber , such as bran , did not relieve symptoms . Several antispasmodic drugs helped prevent IBS symptoms , particularly diarrhea . The most effective one was hyoscine , which is sold without a prescription in the United States . Although peppermint oil was found to be the most effective of the three therapies , more data are needed , cautions Quigley . The peppermint-oil therapy was analyzed in only four trials involving 392 patients . Because past research has been mixed , doctors ' treatment guidelines mention the remedies , but do n't necessarily give them a ringing endorsement , says author Alex Ford , M.D. , a registrar of gastroenterology at McMaster University in Hamilton , Ontario . `` I suspect that filters down to the practitioners who do n't believe they work , so they try something that 's newer or a bit sexier , '' Dr. Ford says . `` The problem with IBS is that it 's a chronic medical condition and no drug has been shown to alter its natural history . '' Health.com : Should I be tested for IBS ? The study results are not surprising , says Joanne A.P. Wilson , M.D. , a professor of medicine in the gastroenterology department at Duke University Medical Center in Durham , North Carolina . Dr. Wilson adds that such treatments are best for patients with mild or moderate IBS . However , in her practice , she 's found that prescription medications need to be used for severe cases that do n't respond to these treatments . Health.com : Belly flab doubles mortality risk . Prescription drugs that have been used to treat IBS include Amitiza , a drug for chronic constipation ; Zelnorm , which was pulled from the market in 2007 ; and Lotronex , which was removed from the market because of potentially life-threatening side effects -LRB- although exceptions are now made for women with severe , diarrhea-prominent IBS who do n't respond to other treatments -RRB- . Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 . | An estimated 10 to 15 percent of people in North America have IBS . The exact cause of IBS remains unknown , which has hampered treatment . Study analysis : Peppermint oil , soluble fiber , and antispasmodic drugs all work . | [[375, 433], [560, 598], [0, 109], [0, 56], [112, 177], [1763, 1853], [2316, 2397]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama toasted a growing U.S. friendship with India at the first state dinner of his administration Tuesday , an evening of regal pageantry and symbolic politics in a tent on the White House South Lawn . `` To the future that beckons all of us , '' Obama said with glass raised toward his guest of honor , visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh . `` Let us answer its call . And let our two great nations realize all the triumphs and achievements that await us . '' A tradition dating back to 1874 , state dinners are the most treasured and formal honor a U.S. president can offer a foreign dignitary , and the most coveted invitation in Washington . The Tuesday night dinner showed Obama 's intention to signal strong ties with the world 's largest democracy and go his own way in navigating the pomp and tradition of White House customs . Traditionally , a new administration 's first invitation goes to the leader of neighboring Canada or Mexico , though recent presidents also have n't followed that precedent . The event planned by first lady Michelle Obama emphasized eco-friendly themes such as White House-grown herbs and lettuce served to guests and sustainably harvested magnolia branches -- from species native to both India and the United States -- in arrangements adorning the tent where more than 300 guests wearing tuxedos and gowns were wined , dined and entertained . A White House document said common themes of state and official visits are `` forging friendships , exchanging knowledge and building bridges that last for years . '' In a toast that followed Obama 's , Singh praised his host 's leadership and prompted applause by citing the charm of the U.S. first lady . Obama 's election was `` an inspiration to all those who cherish the values of diversity , democracy and equal opportunity , '' Singh said , adding that India `` warmly applauded '' the Nobel Peace Prize awarded Obama this year for `` the healing touch you have provided and the power of your idealism and your vision . '' `` We need to find new pathways of international cooperation that respond more effectively to the grave challenges caused by the growing interdependence of nations , '' Singh said . `` As two leading democracies , India and the United States must play a leading role in building a shared destiny for all humankind . '' Obama , in a black tuxedo , and the first lady , in a dazzling cream gown with silver accents , greeted Singh and his wife , Gursharan Kaur , as they arrived , shaking hands on the White House steps and posing for pictures before leading their guests inside . Guests in tuxedos and evening gowns streamed into the White House for the historic social event , passing a line of journalists . In one humorous mishap , the cummerbund of Sen. Bob Casey , a Pennsylvania Democrat , fell off as he and his wife walked in . The guest list included political allies , a few opponents , celebrities and members of the Indian diplomatic community . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made the list , but not her husband , former President Bill Clinton . Democratic colleagues of the president including other Cabinet ministers , several senators and top aides made the list , including Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts -LRB- but not his wife , Teresa Heinz Kerry -RRB- , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri , White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and White House Budget Director Peter Orszag . Ticker : See the list of expected attendees . A couple of Republicans also made it , notably Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal . Celebrities included Hollywood director Steven Spielberg , actors Alfre Woodard and Blair Underwood , CBS News anchor Katie Couric and New York Times columnist Tom Friedman . However , one name rumored to be included , but not appearing on the list , was Oprah Winfrey . The dinner , in a tent set up on the White House South Lawn with a view of the Washington Monument , featured round tables for 10 set in resplendent colors -- apple green , ruby , gold -- with floral arrangements of roses , hydrangeas and sweet peas in plum , purple and fuchsia . Place settings in fine china from three previous administrations -- Eisenhower , Clinton and George W. Bush -- were flanked by five pieces of silverware and crystal glasses . Place cards were in script -- `` The President '' and `` Mrs. Obama '' read two . A seasonal menu reflecting both American and Indian flavors started with a potato and eggplant salad made with White House-grown arugula and accompanied by an onion seed vinaigrette , according to the White House . Red lentil soup with fresh cheese followed , and then a choice of entrees -- roasted potato dumplings with tomato chutney , chick peas and okra for vegetarians , or green curry prawns , caramelized salsify and smoked collard greens . Dessert was pumpkin pie tart and pear tatin with whipped cream and caramel sauce . Each course was paired with a different wine , all of American vintage . The herbs and lettuces were harvested from the White House Kitchen Garden started by Michelle Obama , with honey from the White House beehive used to poach the dessert pears . Entertainment was by jazz vocalist Kurt Elling , Grammy and Academy Award-winner Jennifer Hudson , the National Symphony Orchestra directed by award-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch , Academy Award-winning Indian musician and composer A.R. Rahman , and The President 's Own United States Marine Band . `` It 's not every day you get to sing at the White House or even get invited to the White House , '' said Hudson , who said she would dress in a purple and black gown `` with the longest train I 've ever worn '' and sing standards including `` The Very Thought of You , '' `` What a Difference a Day Makes '' and `` Somewhere . '' Veterans of state dinners said the planning for such a trend-setting event is meticulous . `` It 's stressful , it 's very stressful , '' said Lisa Caputo , a press secretary for Hillary Clinton when she was first lady . `` What is the first lady going to wear ? What will be served ? How are the flower arrangements being done ? There 's a lot of protocol in terms of the serving line . '' Every unit in the White House weighs in on the dinner 's guest list , Caputo said , with a lot of thought going into who sits where . `` There 's particular protocol in terms of who is seated at the president 's table and the prime minister 's table , '' Caputo said . `` But do n't forget that an enormous amount of thought goes into that with the White House social office and the president and first lady in terms of who will round out the appropriate table , who will get along with who , what will be the dynamics of each table . `` Yes , of course it 's social , but , of course , there 's business done , '' Caputo said . The final list is ultimately decided by the president and the first lady , said Anita McBride , who was chief of staff for first lady Laura Bush . `` Of course , having friends and supporters is really important to share that kind of event , and it 's also important for all the other guests that are there and the Indian members of the delegation to meet these people that are a cross-section of America , '' McBride said . Amy Zantzinger , who was a social secretary for President George W. Bush , said all state dinners are different , and an administration 's first one is a big one . `` First they 'll bring the newness -- the newness of the whole day because it 's their first big dinner , '' she said . What makes a successful dinner ? It 's what you do n't plan , Zantzinger said . During a Reagan state dinner , Princess Diana and actor John Travolta took to the dance floor . `` What made it so special was that it was so absolutely spontaneous , '' she said . `` You had one of the most beautiful women in the world and one of the best dancers in the world come together in this incredible place , and I think the spontaneity of it and the combination of the two of them was perfection . '' CNN 's Suzanne Malveaux , Samantha Hayes , Kiran Chetry , Ed Hornick , Becky Brittain and Tom Cohen contributed to this report . | NEW : Obama toasts India prime minister , urges greater cooperation between two countries . Tuesday 's event is the first state dinner of Obama administration . State dinners are deemed one of the most treasured and formal honors . Menu includes greens from White House garden , honey from White House bees . | [[285, 293], [345, 392], [30, 146], [546, 646], [1062, 1093], [1109, 1183], [1148, 1200], [5061, 5134]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tables set in apple green , ruby and gold with arrangements of roses , hydrangeas and sweet peas awaited guests to Tuesday 's White House state dinner . The place settings in fine china from three previous administrations -- Eisenhower , Clinton and George W. Bush -- are flanked by crystal glasses and five pieces of silverware . Place cards are handwritten , including two that read `` The President '' and `` Mrs. Obama . '' The first state dinner of Barack Obama 's presidency , in honor of visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh , will take place in a tent set up on the White House South Lawn , with a view of the Washington Monument . Guests will sit at round tables for 10 , with the floral arrangements intended to pay homage to the state bird of India , the Indian peacock , and the dinner featuring a seasonal menu reflecting American and Indian flavors , according to the White House . The first course will be a potato and eggplant salad made with White House-grown arugula and accompanied by an onion-seed vinaigrette . Red lentil soup with fresh cheese follows , and then a choice of entrees : roasted potato dumplings with tomato chutney , chickpeas and okra for vegetarians , or green curry prawns and caramelized salsify with smoked collard greens . Dessert will be pumpkin pie tart or pear tatin with whipped cream and caramel sauce . Each course is paired with its own wine , all of American vintage . Michelle Obama worked with guest chef Marcus Samuelsson and White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford to `` create a menu that reflects the best of American cuisine , continues this White House 's commitment to serving fresh , sustainable and regional food , and honors the culinary excellence and flavors that are present in Indian cuisine , '' the White House said . The herbs and lettuces were harvested from the White House Kitchen Garden started by the first lady , and honey from the White House beehive is being used to poach the dessert pears . | Dinner in honor of Indian premier will take place on White House South Lawn . Floral arrangements intended to pay homage to the Indian peacock . Dinner reflecting Indian and American flavors uses herbs from White House garden . | [[522, 570], [725, 836], [826, 901]] |
Editor 's note : CNN Contributor Bob Greene is a best-selling author whose new book is `` Late Edition : A Love Story . '' Bob Greene says Logan , Ohio , paid an extraordinary tribute to its most dedicated football fan . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` Yes , it 's all gone now , '' Craig Dunn told me the other day . `` If you 're not from around here , you 'd never know it was ever there . '' Dunn is the sports editor of the Logan , Ohio , Daily News , a paper with a small circulation -LRB- around 4,000 -RRB- and a small news staff -LRB- five people put the paper out , covering the entire county -RRB- . Last fall , when I was crisscrossing the country on the CNN Election Express , I spoke with Dunn about the town 's high school football stadium , which was being demolished . Bill Sauer Field , it was called . The story I wrote appeared briefly on the Political Ticker and then went away quickly ; there was so much rapidly breaking news coming out of the presidential campaign that the story was little more than a blip . Yet I found myself , during the last year , thinking about Bill Sauer Field , and Logan , Ohio , and how it 's possible for all of us , if we make the effort , to find the best in ourselves -- to find the best in each other . I find myself thinking about Bill Sauer , and about what that little town did for him , more than I think about almost anything else on which I reported during our long journey through America . And so , with a new football season beginning all across the United States , I spoke with Craig Dunn again the other afternoon . `` When I drive by the place where it used to be , it 's not with a sense of sadness , '' he said . `` It 's with pride for what this town once did . '' Bill Sauer Field was the core of public life in Logan . The town , population 7,300 , gravitated to the old stadium on Friday nights in autumns to watch the high school team , the Chieftains , play their games . And who was Bill Sauer ? A self-made millionaire from the community who had bestowed the stadium upon the town ? A prominent local politician ? A long-gone Logan football hero ? No . Bill Sauer was born in Logan more than 100 years ago -- in 1908 . From the time he was a little boy , he could not walk . He spoke with great difficulty . His parents , desperate , searched for answers . Logan was and is a rural community , and back then sophisticated medical diagnoses were not easy to come by . His mother and father were eventually told that the boy had cerebral palsy . He attended public school in Logan . It was not easy , of course . He was 23 by the time he graduated from Logan High School . Then , as now , the boys who were strong and swift and athletically graceful were the ones most celebrated . Bill could not even take a step on his own . But he loved the Logan sports teams , and he took pride in supporting them . Football , basketball , track and field -- he never missed a game , and he seldom missed a practice session . He would be there on the sidelines , sitting in his wheelchair , cheering for his classmates . His life did n't get any less arduous after he graduated . His father died . It became incumbent upon Bill to support himself and his mother . He sold Christmas cards ; he sold magazine subscriptions . At the town 's swimming pool , he ran the concessions stand . His philosophy of life , Craig Dunn told me , was basic : However often you get knocked down , you get back up one more time . Bill Sauer grew older . New generations of healthy and talented young athletes played for the Logan Chieftains on Friday nights . No matter the weather , no matter how he was feeling , Bill was always there . The Logan football stadium had been constructed in 1925 . It was the heart of the town ; it was what made the community feel like a community . In 1975 , there was a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the stadium . On that night , it was renamed . For him . For Bill . The whole town had fallen in love with him . All of the quarterbacks who had ever thrown touchdown passes in that stadium , all of the linebackers who had ever made jarring tackles , all of the field goal kickers who had ever won games for Logan as the scoreboard clock ticked down ... and the place was renamed for the boy who could never run a single stride . As the years went by , when visiting teams would come to town , few of the opposing players would have any idea why the stadium in Logan bore the name that it did . That did n't matter . Logan knew . Bill knew . He never married or had a family . He kept going to the games , sitting on the sidelines , right up until his death in 1988 . The town , by honoring him the way it did , had given his life meaning , and contentment , and joy . The decades after his death passed ; the stadium grew too old , too outmoded . Finally , by last year , there could be no more delay . It was time to tear down Bill Sauer Field . It has vanished now . The new athletic complex -- Logan Chieftain Stadium , it is called -- has risen out near State Route 328 . Craig Dunn , the sports editor , spends his Friday nights in the fall covering the games there . Plans are in the works , he said , to erect a plaque at the new stadium in memory of the lifelong fortitude of the town 's most faithful fan . `` They want the plaque to be in a place where the Logan players can see it as they run onto the field for every game , '' Dunn said . `` They want to make sure that Bill is never forgotten . '' This can be a mean old world sometimes . But other times , when you least expect it , it can light you up . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bob Greene . | Bob Greene : Bill Sauer was a dedicated fan of his small-town football team . He says Sauer had cerebral palsy and a challenging life . Greene : Sauer was n't a football star , a millionaire or a politician . He says town paid him extraordinary tribute by naming stadium after him . | [[123, 133], [139, 144], [154, 220], [123, 133], [139, 144], [154, 220], [4243, 4280]] |
Manila , Philippines -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The son of a Philippines provincial governor is voluntarily turning himself in for questioning in the massacre of at least 57 unarmed civilians , a CNN affiliate reported Thursday . Andal Ampatuan Jr. -- who is the mayor of Datu Unsay and the son of Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan -- has agreed to face questioning , reported Patricia Evangelista of ABS-CBN . Ampatuan was not identified by authorities as a suspect in the killings in the southern Philippines , though victims ' survivors and local media reports had done so . Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo `` is enraged by these barbaric acts , '' spokesman Cerge Remonde said . `` She has literally thrown the full force of the law and has mobilized the security and police forces of the state to go after the perpetrators . '' Philippines authorities had disbanded a paramilitary force in the southern Philippines suspected of playing a role in the massacre , the country 's state-run media reported Wednesday . Remonde said the deaths were the result of a political clan war , not Muslim secessionism in that troubled region of the country . `` So far as this case is concerned , this is a limited clan political rivalry , which has been going on for some time now , '' Remonde said . The death toll grew Wednesday after 11 more bodies were recovered from a rural area of Mindanao and buried . Arroyo has declared Wednesday a national day of mourning . Arroyo 's government is under intense pressure to find those responsible for planning and carrying out the abduction and killing of the group of about 60 politicians , lawyers and journalists -- and reportedly some bystanders . Suspicion has fallen on the Ampatuan family , key allies of the Arroyo administration in the Maguindanao region of the southern Mindanao province . Ampatuan family members have not commented on the slaying allegations . Remonde appeared to blame the Ampatuan clan , adding : `` There is , however , a move now by the administration party to expel the suspected clan . '' Those killed include the wife and two sisters of a local politician who plans to run for the spot vacated next year by Maguindanao 's governor , Andal Ampatuan . While the investigation is ongoing , a spokesman for the country 's national police has said that Andal Ampatuan Jr. has been linked to the crime , according to local media reports . `` According to the initial reports , those who were abducted and murdered at Saniag were initially stopped by a group led by the mayor of Datu Unsay , '' National Police spokesman Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina said , according to ABS-CBN News . The massacre is the worst politically motivated violence in recent Philippines history . On Monday morning , in daylight , a group of about 100 gunmen stopped a convoy carrying supporters and family members of local politician Ismael `` Toto '' Mangudadatu , witnesses and officials say . Mangudadatu had sent his wife and sisters to file paperwork allowing him to run for governor of Maguindanao in May after he had been threatened and told not to file the papers himself . He said the threats came from allies of Governor Ampatuan . The number of people kidnapped and killed was still unclear , as recovery continued at the mass grave site in Maguindanao . A car traveling behind the convoy was mistaken for being a part of the politician 's contingent , a local official told the Philippines GMA News Network . The car was instead heading to a hospital , according to Tom Robles , head of the Tacurong City Employees Union , who spoke to GMA News . The driver and four passengers -- including a government employee who had suffered a mild stroke and his wife -- were rounded up and killed along with the members of the convoy ahead of them , Robles said . A police official confirmed that the car and the bodies of three of the passengers were among those recovered at the grave site , GMA reported . The state-run Philippines News Agency said the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD -LRB- Christian , Muslim , Democrats -RRB- was to meet Wednesday to discuss whether to remove the Ampatuan clan members in Mindanao from the party as a result of the killings . `` In our opinion , they were not able to fulfill their obligations to the party , '' said former Defense Secretary Gilberto `` Gibo '' Teodoro , Lakas-Kampi-CMD national president and the party 's standard bearer in the 2010 elections , in a radio interview , according to PNA . Ampatuans hold leadership positions in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao , including governor of the region , governor of Maguindanao and mayor of Datu Unsay . `` Like many others , I am appalled and outraged by it , and I join the rising chorus of indignation against it , '' Arroyo said . `` This is not a simple election feud between opposing clans ; this is a supreme act of inhumanity that is a blight on our nation . The perpetrators will not escape justice . The law will haunt them until they are caught . '' | NEW : Authorities did not identify Ampatuan as a suspect . Datu Unsay mayor led group that initially stopped civilians , police cite reports as saying . Ampatuans hold leadership positions in Mindanao . Authorities disband paramilitary force in the southern Philippines . | [[405, 504], [2413, 2447], [2450, 2511], [2520, 2530], [2450, 2496], [2502, 2530], [2523, 2561], [4496, 4575], [841, 971]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three years ago I began research on a book dedicated to the national pastimes : shopping and buying . The plan was to devote the first half of the story to what I called the `` sell side '' : the retailers , marketers and consumer researchers who have their sights trained on us . The second half would be about us , the `` buy side . '' I would explore all that attracts us -- bees to nectar -- to specific stores and products , why some of us are cheapskates and others have holes in our pockets . Then , a not-so-funny thing happened . Between the time I started my reporting and the time I handed in my finished manuscript , both the sell and the buy sides had cratered . Home prices crashed . Credit markets collapsed . The government tried feverishly to glue broken banks back together . Unemployment went up and up and up . The result : consumer spending -- as in that which drives 70 percent of the U.S. economy -- was running on fumes . Department store sales sank by double-digits . `` The golden age of spending for the American consumer has ended and a new age of thrift likely has begun , '' said a Wall Street analyst . `` Sixty percent off is the new black , '' quipped a magazine fashion writer . Gone , seemingly overnight , were the throngs of buyers from Europe and Asia who had been dragging their wheelies down Fifth Avenue in New York , loading up on shoes and handbags and leaving us American shoppers feeling , even then , like poor country cousins . Word spread that we were now living in `` the Wal-Mart moment , '' which was likely to be rather drawn out . Our longstanding fetish for bigger , faster , flashier , pricier was no more . . With the most hyped shopping day on the calendar -- Black Friday ! -- upon us , we all might take a deep breath and focus , not just on where to find the best door-busters , but on more important questions : What is going on out there ? In the buying and selling universe , are we witnessing a permanent change in values ? Have we all turned forever frugal ? The fact is , nobody 's quite sure right now . Over the past several months , there have been small signs of recovery . Consumer confidence surveys offer a glimmer of hope . On the `` sell side '' retailers are viewing the holiday selling season with slightly more optimism than when they put in their holiday purchase orders six months ago . And it seems reasonable to hope that we 've at least touched bottom and that the consumer escalator is on the way up again , however fitfully . But on the buy side -- our side -- things have changed dramatically , and in some ways for the better . We 're shopping more with our heads , not just our hearts ; we 're thinking about the things we buy . A woman in Boston -- affluent , accomplished , largely unscathed by the financial collapse -- told me that when she now looks back on the expensive shoes and clothes she bought routinely just a few years ago , she `` just ca n't believe what I was doing . '' The Internet is now a daily , indispensable tool we use to search for better prices and seek counsel from others with firsthand knowledge of brands and stores we might be considering . The result : Up and down the socioeconomic ladder we 're shopping more prudently . We 're paying down credit card balances and placing greater value not just on the new and novel , the cool and the trendy , but also on value itself . Does it work ? Is the price fair ? Will it last ? And yes , we 're also splurging now and then -- on impulse purchases that can make a day all the more sweet : a new hairstyle , a brightly colored this-or-that for spring , an electronic gadget that performs amazing tricks , some useful , some just diverting . There are those who would tell us that purchases like this -- `` unnecessary ! '' `` juvenile ! '' etc. -- are signs of character weakness , that we are routinely `` conned '' into buying useless things by manipulative Mad Men , but I think it 's more complicated . Because if there 's one thing I learned after three years of watching folks shop and buy -- in good times , then bad -- it is n't that we buy that 's been our problem , it 's how we bought that was the issue : recklessly , and with little more than a piece of plastic or phantom home equity . But that was then . This is now , and a little self-reward -- a from-me-to-me purchase here , an I-love-you purchase there -- are hardly crimes in my book . Assuming , of course , they do n't bring down the house -- this holiday season and beyond . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Lee Eisenberg . | Lee Eisenberg says a down economy has turned American spenders into scrimpers . It 's early to tell whether consumer habits have shifted permanently , he says . Eisenberg : Consumers are placing a new importance on value when they buy . | [[3214, 3271], [3272, 3413]] |
TEGUCIGALPA , Honduras -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The de facto president of Honduras denied Wednesday that his government turned off the power at the embassy where deposed President Jose Manual Zelaya surprisingly reappeared this week , and said that the people inside were free to come and go . A soldier takes a picture Wednesday of the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa , Honduras . Honduran forces also will not enter the Brazilian embassy , where Zelaya has been housed since Monday , de facto President Roberto Micheletti said in an interview with CNN en Español . But these developments do not spare Zelaya , who was ousted in a June 28 coup , from being arrested and facing charges for violating the constitution if he leaves the safe haven of the embassy , Micheletti said . `` President Zelaya should present himself before the tribunals of justice in our country where he has charges against him , '' Micheletti said . The de facto president challenged versions of events surrounding Zelaya 's return . Despite local reports citing police officials that authorities turned off the power to the embassy and surrounding area ostensibly to discourage looting , Micheletti said that a congregation of pro-Zelaya protesters at the embassy short-circuited the power themselves . As of Wednesday , power was restored to the building , Micheletti said . A nationwide curfew was lifted Wednesday , but a security cordon remained in the area around the embassy . Micheletti said that the police were there because the people inside the embassy requested the protection , and said , `` We are not impeding the exit nor the entrance of absolutely anybody . '' Zelaya 's announced return has re-ignited a stand-off between the two disputed leaders of Honduras . Brazil now finds itself involved because of its embassy . Brazil wants an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting to discuss the situation , the official Brazilian news agency reported . In another development , Micheletti said he is willing to meet anywhere with ousted President Jose Manuel Zelaya as long as Zelaya agrees to abide by presidential elections scheduled for November 29 . But the de facto leader said in a statement read by his foreign minister Tuesday that his offer to talk with Zelaya does not nullify an arrest warrant issued against the ousted president by the nation 's Supreme Court . `` I think that what the whole world should understand about this country is that there is no immunity for anyone -- for anyone , '' Micheletti told CNN en Español . `` And , no one can be above the law . '' Micheletti 's willingness to engage Zelaya seemed to be a reversal of his position . On Tuesday , he had said in an interview with local network Televicentro that Zelaya 's sudden appearance would not revive negotiations to have him return to power . The United States and Brazil have said they support dialogue between the two sides , centered on the San Jose Accord , an agreement negotiated by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias . That deal calls for Zelaya to be restored to power . The Brazilian request for a Security Council meeting came after the Honduran government isolated the embassy by cutting water , power and phone lines to the building , U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly confirmed to reporters Tuesday in Washington . This was the same action that Micheletti denied Wednesday . Micheletti said that other nations have not given his government a fair hearing of its position . `` This is what we Hondurans want : to be heard , for them to read our constitution , to read our laws , and to see what happened before June 28 , '' Micheletti said . The de facto government argues that Zelaya was not removed in a coup , but in a constitutional transfer of power . Zelaya , a centrist whose politics took a strong turn to the left once in office , was ousted in a June 28 military-backed coup . Despite increasing political , diplomatic and economic isolation , Micheletti has steadfastly resisted pressure to allow Zelaya to return to power and Micheletti thwarted two very public attempts by Zelaya to return to his homeland . `` Yes , we are alone , but we are surviving , '' Micheletti said . `` Two months ago , people did n't think we would withstand all this time , but here we are almost three months later . '' Amnesty International issued a statement Wednesday in which the human rights group `` denounced a sharp rise in police beatings , mass arrests of demonstrators and intimidation of human rights defenders in Honduras since the June coup d'état and warned that fundamental rights and the rule of law in the Central American nation are in grave jeopardy . '' The organization said police fired tear gas Tuesday at a building housing a prominent human rights organization . Around 100 people , including women and children , were inside , Amnesty International said . Many were there to denounce what they said were police abuse while breaking up the demonstration outside the Brazilian Embassy , the rights group said . `` The situation in Honduras can only be described as alarming , '' said Susan Lee , Americas director at Amnesty International . `` The attacks against human rights defenders , suspension of news outlets , beating of demonstrators by the police and ever increasing reports of mass arrests indicate that human rights and the rule of law in Honduras are at grave risk . '' It was still not publicly known Wednesday how Zelaya got into the country and he declined to provide details , only telling CNN en Español on Tuesday that it was a 15 - to 16-hour trip he took `` with the help of Hondurans . '' Journalist Elvin Sandoval contributed to this report for CNN en Español . | Amnesty International official calls situation in Honduras `` alarming '' Honduras reportedly cuts utilities at Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa . Brazil official calls Honduran action on its embassy a `` serious '' move . Ousted Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya inside embassy . | [[5032, 5094], [14, 38], [77, 149], [1013, 1124], [3160, 3163], [3172, 3228], [3063, 3171], [138, 192], [138, 149], [156, 226]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Six-year-old Makayla Sitton did n't get to act in The Nutcracker Ballet . The night before she was to go on stage , she was shot to death with three others in a home in Jupiter , Florida . `` I do not know how we 're ever going to recover from this , but we know where she is . She is in heaven , '' her father , Jim Sitton , told CNN affiliate WPTV-TV of West Palm Beach , Florida . `` God has blessed us with this beautiful girl , and he just took her home a little bit earlier than we wanted , '' he said , struggling to hold back tears . Police were searching Friday for a suspect in the deaths of Makayla and three others : twins Carla Merhige and Lisa Knight , 33 , and Raymonde Joseph , 76 , police said . Patrick Knight and Clifford Gebara were wounded in the shooting , police said . Officers were looking for Paul Michael Merhige , 35 , who is thought to have left the area armed , said Jupiter police Sgt. Scott Pascarella . The dead were Merhige 's twin sisters , his aunt and 6-year-old cousin . Interviews with family members suggest that Merhige `` had ongoing resentment '' for some of his relatives , said Sally Collins-Ortiz , a spokeswoman for Jupiter police . One of the victims -- Knight -- was pregnant , Collins-Ortiz said Friday . The U.S. Marshals have joined the search for Merhige , she said . The shooting occurred about 10 p.m. ET Thursday . Pascarella said he did not know the motive . Merhige is thought to have driven away in a blue 2007 Toyota Camry with Florida license plate number W42 7JT , the officer said . CNN 's Leslie Tripp contributed to this report . | Four killed , 2 hurt in southern Florida on Thanksgiving night . Police searching for victims ' relative in connection with the shootings . Paul Michael Merhige , 35 , may have `` had ongoing resentment '' for relatives , police say . | [[718, 731], [798, 811], [1028, 1161]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The high school honor student and the NFL 's highest-paid defensive back stroll down the destitute streets of Skid Row . `` I can sell you something right quick , '' a drug dealer hisses . Another shouts , `` Gon na whoop your ass ! '' More expletives are hurled . Seventeen-year-old Kenneth Chancey is giving a tour to Nnamdi Asomugha , showing the NFL star the streets that he and his sister used to walk to get to school while living in a Skid Row homeless shelter . Prostitutes , addicts and drug dealers scatter . `` Camera ! Camera ! '' they shout . The two make it safely past the park , one of the roughest areas of Los Angeles . An orange soda whizzes through the air , nearly hitting the teen and the Oakland Raiders ' All-Pro cornerback worth $ 45 million . `` Wow , '' the teen says . `` I 'm sure they watch you every Sunday , and they do n't even recognize who you are . '' It is Kenneth 's inner strength and his love for education that have brought together this high school class president and NFL star . `` The thing I took away is how fearless he is , '' Asomugha said later . `` The things he 's been through are so big and so severe -- they were threatening our lives and throwing things at us on Skid Row . But it does n't bother him . `` His potential meter is at 1,000 right now . '' Escaping through education . Even while Kenneth lived on Skid Row , he dreamed of attending Harvard to become a neurosurgeon . When Asomugha saw Kenneth 's story on CNN , he wanted to help . He runs a foundation , the Asomugha College Tour for Scholars , that takes talented inner-city kids on tours of college campuses they otherwise would never be able to see . He 's helped get 25 teens into college over the last four years . On this day , he 's come to tell Kenneth that he will be among the 16 students traveling in the spring to visit schools in Washington , D.C. `` I 'm thankful to be able to give back , '' Asomugha said . Hours before the Skid Row tour , Asomugha traveled to Hollywood 's Helen Bernstein High School , where Kenneth is a starting running back in his senior year . They met at the school 's football stadium , where Asomugha told Kenneth in person . `` This smile on my face , '' Kenneth said , `` is a freaking good thing . This is awesome ! '' Asomugha leaned closer . `` You know who we 're working on now ? '' `` Obama ? '' Kenneth asked nervously . `` We have to , '' the NFL star replied . Kenneth 's fever-pitched excitement reached a crescendo , `` Oh my gosh ! '' His father , Gordon Costello , joined in and handed a folded paper to Asomugha . The proud dad did n't show off football awards or his son 's athletic achievements . Instead , it 's Kenneth 's latest report card , straight A 's . `` He might overqualify for the tour , '' Asomugha said as he studied the report card . `` This shows someone with a lot of drive and ambition . These are some great grades . '' `` I 'm at a loss for words , '' the teen said . `` Stuff like this does n't happen every day . '' Asomugha came from a family where education was stressed from day one . He remembers asking his mom as a boy , `` Can I have some ice cream ? '' `` No , '' she responded . `` You have n't finished your homework . '' `` I 'd say , ` but I 'm 3 ! ' '' Asomugha 's sister is a pediatrician , his mother holds a doctorate . Two other siblings have secondary degrees . `` I am the least educated in my family , '' Asomugha said . `` I catch a lot of heat from my family . '' The football star , who is the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history , has a degree in finance from the University of California-Berkeley . Kenneth is energized . `` I 'm going to be the first one in my family to get a secondary education , '' he told Asomugha . `` And everyone will follow you , '' his father added . Kenneth spent his sixth-grade year living in a van with his mother and stepfather . His sister once was beaten up by someone who wanted her shirt . Kenneth was held up at gunpoint for his laptop . He refused to hand it over because his grandmother bought it for him . `` If you 're going to shoot me , shoot me now , '' he told the would-be thief . `` He said , ' I ai n't gon na kill no little kid . ' '' Mantra : Always keep your head up . From February to August of this year , Kenneth lived at the Union Rescue Mission homeless shelter along Skid Row with his father and sister . After the CNN piece aired , his friend invited him and his sister , Stephanie , to stay with his family , while Kenneth 's father looked for work . Outside Kenneth 's earshot , the NFL star talked about how the teen is an inspiration , doing all the right things to achieve greatness in life . `` You do n't hear about guys like Kenneth , '' Asomugha said . `` When you have your back against the wall and you 're trying to fight and there are so many things -- so many obstacles -- against you but you 're still keeping your head above the water like he 's doing ... the sky 's the limit . '' Kenneth says he constantly thought about dropping out to get a job to help his father financially . His dad would have none of it . `` Your education will pay off in the long run , '' his father always told him . On the tour at Skid Row , Kenneth took Asomugha to the shelter 's rooftop . It 's a million-dollar view of the Los Angeles skyline . It 's where Kenneth studied . It 's also where he learned his biggest lesson : to always keep his head up . The student and the football player leaned over the building 's ledge . Down below , drug deals were being made . `` Anytime you look down over the ledge , you start to see the negative , '' Asomugha said . `` When you keep your head up , you 're seeing all the positive . Was that your mantra ? '' The teen smiled . `` That 's how you do it in life , '' Kenneth said . `` I just try to keep my head up , to look into the future . '' Five years from now , he 'll be graduating from college . The hell of Skid Row will be a distant memory . `` Once I succeed , '' he said , `` I will be able to help other people . '' CNN 's Traci Tamura and Gregg Canes contributed to this report . | NFL star Nnamdi Asomugha decides to help homeless teen after CNN report . Kenneth Chancey , 17 , lived in homeless shelter , yet made all A 's and is class president . Asomugha will take Chancey and 19 other inner-city kids on college tour in spring . | [[1479, 1520], [1523, 1542], [309, 379], [309, 343], [382, 414], [461, 467], [474, 513], [4295, 4331], [4334, 4392], [1596, 1604], [1612, 1671]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dubai could lose its place on the Women 's Tennis Association Tour calendar after Israeli Shahar Peer was denied entry to compete at this week 's event , the WTA supremo warned Monday . Shahar Peer told CNN she learned of her visa ban Saturday , just before her scheduled flight to Dubai . Peer was scheduled to fly into the United Arab Emirates on Sunday , but was informed Saturday night by telephone that she would not be granted a visa . WTA Chairman and CEO Larry Scott said the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour `` will review appropriate future actions with regard to the future of the Dubai tournament . '' Scott added : `` The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour believes very strongly , and has a clear rule and policy , that no host country should deny a player the right to compete at a tournament for which she has qualified by ranking . '' Peer , who had just finished playing in the Pattaya Open in Thailand , where she reached the semifinal , said she is `` very , very disappointed '' to have been denied the opportunity to play in Dubai . `` They really stopped my momentum because now I 'm not going to play for two weeks and because they waited for the last minute I could n't go to another tournament either , '' Peer said from Tel Aviv . `` So it 's very disappointing , and I think it 's not fair . '' Watch Peer describe her disappointment '' Scott , meanwhile , confirmed : `` Following various consultations , the Tour has decided to allow the tournament to continue to be played this week , pending further review by the Tour 's Board of Directors . `` Ms. Peer and her family are obviously extremely upset and disappointed by the decision of the UAE and its impact on her personally and professionally , and the Tour is reviewing appropriate remedies for Ms. Peer . '' Scott said Peer 's visa refusal has precedence : Last year an Israeli men 's doubles team was denied entry to Dubai . He said the Emirate cited security reasons following recent unrest in the region . `` At that time I was in Dubai . I made it clear to the authorities , the representatives of the government , that next year when our top players wanted to play this very prestigious tournament all of them had to be allowed to play , '' Scott said . `` They had a year to work on it and solve it . We 've spent time through the year discussing it . We were given assurances that it had gone to the highest levels of government , '' Scott said . `` I was optimistic they would solve it . And we 've made crystal clear to the government , to the tournament organizers that there could be grave repercussions not just for tennis in the UAE but sports beyond that . '' Watch CNN 's interview with Larry Scott '' The Dubai government issued a short statement through the state-owned news agency , saying that Peer was informed while in Thailand that she would not receive a visa . The agency quoted an official source in the organizing committee saying , `` The tournament is sponsored by several national organizations and they all care to be part of a successful tournament , considering the developments that the region had been through . '' Earlier an official source who did not want to be named , said , `` We should check what happened in New Zealand , when Peer was playing there with all the demonstrations against Israel during the attacks on Gaza . We have to consider securing the players and the tournament . '' In January , a small group of about 20 protestors waved placards and shouted anti-Israel slogans outside the main entrance to the ASB Classic tournament in Auckland . They were moved on before Peer played her match . The Israeli player said she 's received phone calls of support from her fellow players . '' ` All the players support Shahar , '' world No. 6 Venus Williams told The New York Times , adding , `` We are all athletes , and we stand for tennis . '' Peer is uncertain of her next move . She said the last-minute decision had left her at a loose end . She said she was concerned about her points and ranking and may go to the U.S. this week to try to take part in another tournament . `` I do n't think it should happen , '' she said . `` I think sport and politics needs to stay on the side and not be involved . I really hope it 's not going to happen again , not only to me but to any other athlete . '' CNN Dubai bureau chief Caroline Faraj contributed to this report . | Israeli tennis player back in Tel Aviv after being denied entry for Dubai event . Shahar Peer told night before tournament she would not be granted visa by UAE . WTA chief Larry Scott warned Dubai tournament could lose place on calendar . Scott : `` This runs counter to everything we were promised and is a setback '' | [[101, 170], [994, 1051], [101, 170], [205, 262], [226, 262], [265, 308], [309, 313], [381, 421], [427, 460], [2701, 2721], [2785, 2868], [16, 94], [173, 204], [461, 619], [2227, 2242], [2422, 2437]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Could humans one day live to be 1,000 , and would that be a good thing ? CNN 's global health show Vital Signs has teamed up with world renowned anti-aging experts to bring you an in-depth discussion on the search for immortality . Vital Signs host and CNN Chief Medical Correspondent , Dr. Sanjay Gupta will be joined by best-selling author Dan Buettner who has done extensive studies on the areas in the world people live the longest , healthiest lives , known as Blue Zones , and shares their formula for a long life . The other panelist is geneticist Dr. Aubrey de Grey , best-selling author of `` Ending Aging : The Rejuvenation Breakthroughs That Could Reverse Human Aging in Our Lifetime . '' He believes regenerative medicine could , in a matter of decades , extend life expectancy to 1000 years . This special edition of Vital Signs : The Clinic will be broadcast LIVE on CNN.com and we want you to take part in the conversation . You can do that by using the soundoff comments box below , post on iReport.com or e-mail [email protected] . You can also send questions via Twitter . What would you ask the experts ? Do you want to learn how to live until 100 and beyond ? Or find out which diets or exercise to follow for living longer ? Do you have concerns about how an aging population might impact on resources ? The best questions will be featured on the show where the experts will give you tips on how to live longer . Dr. Gupta will also investigate the longevity hot spots around the world and you can tap into the secrets of their success . Watch Vital Signs : The Clinic LIVE on CNN.com on Monday November 30 , at 1200 GMT . -LRB- 0700 ET , 2000 HK , 1300 CET -RRB- . | Watch a LIVE webcast on CNN.com on November 30 , at 1200 GMT . Leading anti-aging experts will share their insights on the search for immortality . Send them your questions via soundoff , ireport and twitter . | [[861, 907], [1580, 1597], [1604, 1648], [118, 250], [959, 1069], [1070, 1111]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A salty soup of seawater , microscopic pieces of plastic and marine debris . Those are the ingredients in the North Pacific Gyre , an ocean vortex estimated by Greenpeace to be the size of Texas , contaminated with the floating detritus of our modern lives . The sheer size of the ocean area affected has been enough to catch public attention , but a number of concerned groups are aiming to capture more than that . Project Kaisei plans to find a way to scoop up the plastic waste and devise a way to turn it into a future fuel source . It 's a huge task , but led by innovator and environmentalist Doug Woodring , Project Kaisei has already embarked on a mission to the gyre . An August voyage onboard the New Horizon and Kaisei sailing ships was in partnership with Scripps Research Institute . The crews returned with samples of the water from various locations in the gyre and the most immediate discovery was the pervasiveness of plastic material found at regular points over 3,500 miles . The most heavily polluted areas of surface water in the gyre contained six times more plastic than plankton biomass . Derelict , or `` ghost '' nets , plastic crates and even toys were found by the crew . Some items like plastic bottles had become impromptu homes to varieties of marine mollusc . As well as posing hazards to the oceans through toxic contamination and to sealife through ingestion or being trapped in nets , unnatural transport systems could allow invasive species to be introduced to different areas and upset delicate ecosystems . The project now counts scientists , innovators , sailors and environmentalists among its ranks , galvanized around a desire to clean up the Pacific 's plastic vortex . A further voyage next year hopes to gather more data and move closer to a practical solution to the ever increasing problem . | Voyage to the North Pacific Gyre found plastic in the ocean over 3,500 miles . Plastic vortex has large pieces of plastic and microscopic fragments . Aim of voyage was to learn how to collect the waste and turn into fuel . Project Kaisei will embark on another mission next year . | [[955, 1014], [436, 450], [505, 556], [1733, 1858], [1733, 1759], [1790, 1858]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` Benjamin Button '' received more life , but Batman ended up in the dark . `` The Curious Case of Benjamin Button '' scored a best actor nomination for Brad Pitt , here with Cate Blanchett . The nominations for the 81st annual Academy Awards were announced Thursday morning , and to nobody 's surprise , `` The Curious Case of Benjamin Button '' did well , nabbing 13 nods to lead all films . The movie , about a man who ages in reverse , is a big film -LRB- almost three hours long -RRB- with big themes -LRB- death and love -RRB- and earned nominations for best picture , best director -LRB- David Fincher -RRB- , best actor -LRB- Brad Pitt -RRB- , best supporting actress -LRB- Taraji P. Henson -RRB- and best adapted screenplay along with eight nominations in other categories . `` This is a great honor for the movie , and I 'm especially happy for David Fincher , for without him there would be no Ben Button , '' said Pitt in a statement . The film , based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story , has been a project of Fincher 's for years . Gallery : The major Oscar nominees '' However , despite eight Oscar nominations , `` The Dark Knight '' -- 2008 's box-office king -- only picked up one in a major category , that for Heath Ledger 's performance as the villainous Joker . The late actor , who died exactly one year ago Thursday , is nominated for best supporting actor , the same award he won posthumously at the Golden Globes almost two weeks ago . Commentary : CNN.com film critic Tom Charity rates the Oscar nominations . `` The Dark Knight '' had made the short lists for the producers ' , directors ' and writers ' guilds , but those honors were n't enough to qualify it for a best picture Oscar nomination . What do you think of the nominations ? Send us an iReport . `` Slumdog Millionaire , '' the sleeper hit about a Mumbai orphan who seeks fame and love through the Indian version of `` Who Wants to Be a Millionaire ? '' , earned 10 nominations , including best picture , best director -LRB- Danny Boyle -RRB- and best adapted screenplay . The film , which struggled to find a U.S. theatrical distributor after its initial studio folded , has dominated the awards season thus far and is considered the front-runner for best picture . Watch star Anil Kapoor talk about the reaction the film has gotten '' `` I 'm ecstatic , '' Boyle said in a statement from Mumbai , where the film premiered Thursday . `` Thank you to the Academy from the cast and crew here in Mumbai where the film was made . ... It feels like you 've given us a billion nominations . '' In a mild surprise , `` The Reader , '' based on the best-selling novel about a postwar German boy who has an affair with an older woman with a Holocaust-related secret , took home nominations for best picture , best actress -LRB- Kate Winslet -RRB- and best director -LRB- Stephen Daldry -RRB- . `` The Reader '' comes from the Weinstein Co. -- the studio headed by producer and master Oscar player Harvey Weinstein . `` I 'm extremely happy to have been nominated . And very fortunate . Playing Hanna Schmitz will always remain one of the biggest challenges I 've ever been blessed with , '' Winslet said in a statement . The other best picture nominees are `` Frost/Nixon '' and `` Milk . '' Watch a rundown of the major nominations '' The Oscar nominations included a handful of other surprises . `` Revolutionary Road , '' featuring the heavyweight trio of Winslet , Leonardo DiCaprio and director Sam Mendes -LRB- `` American Beauty '' -RRB- , picked up just one major nomination -- a best supporting actor nod for Michael Shannon 's portrayal of a troubled savant . Woody Allen , whose `` Vicky Cristina Barcelona '' was widely praised , did n't receive his usual original screenplay nomination . He can take solace in his previous 21 Oscar nominations , including three wins . One of `` Barcelona 's '' performers , Penelope Cruz , received a nomination for best supporting actress . iReport.com : Deliver your acceptance speech . And Oscar favorite Clint Eastwood , who many believed would pick up an acting or directing nomination for his `` Gran Torino , '' received neither . However , Angelina Jolie , who starred in Eastwood 's `` Changeling , '' earned a best actress nomination . The nominations also highlighted some lesser-known talent . Character actor Richard Jenkins , best known for his role as the deceased patriarch on the TV series `` Six Feet Under , '' received a best actor nomination for `` The Visitor . '' Melissa Leo , an actress who has had roles in such TV series as `` Law & Order , '' `` CSI '' and `` The L Word '' -LRB- as well as a regular role on `` Homicide : Life on the Street '' -RRB- , earned a best actress nomination for her performance in `` Frozen River . '' `` Frozen River '' also earned a best original screenplay nomination . Two comeback stories received nominations : Robert Downey Jr. , who battled back from drug abuse and incarceration to star in two 2008 hits , `` Iron Man '' and `` Tropic Thunder , '' earned a best supporting actor nomination for the latter . And Mickey Rourke , who has received raves for his performance as a struggling fighter in `` The Wrestler , '' got a best actor nomination . iReport.com : Who do you think will win ? `` Milk , '' the biopic about pioneering gay politician Harvey Milk , earned nominations for star Sean Penn , director Gus Van Sant and its original screenplay as well as a best picture nod . `` Frost/Nixon , '' about the 1977 interviews between David Frost and Richard Nixon , also received best picture , actor -LRB- Frank Langella -RRB- and director -LRB- Ron Howard -RRB- nominations as well as a nod for its adapted screenplay . Josh Brolin , who was overlooked by Oscar for last year 's `` No Country for Old Men , '' received his first Oscar nomination . Brolin played Dan White , Milk 's assassin , in `` Milk . '' `` To me , to question how a decent guy could resort to such a monstrous act ... It 's just my fascination with that kind of behavior , '' Brolin told CNN.com Live of his reasons for taking the role . As for his competition , `` I could n't be happier to be in this group of people , '' he said . Watch Brolin discuss the complexity of the role '' Meryl Streep , nominated for `` Doubt , '' received her 15th nomination , a record for a performer . The other major performers in `` Doubt '' -- Amy Adams , Philip Seymour Hoffman and Viola Davis -- also were nominated in supporting categories . Israel 's controversial `` Waltz With Bashir , '' an animated film about a soldier 's memories of the 1982 war in Lebanon , received a nomination for best foreign-language film . The category 's other nominees are `` The Baader-Meinhof Complex '' -LRB- Germany -RRB- , `` The Class '' -LRB- France -RRB- , `` Departures '' -LRB- Japan -RRB- and `` Revanche '' -LRB- Austria -RRB- . The nominees for best animated feature are `` WALL-E , '' `` Kung Fu Panda '' and `` Bolt . '' `` WALL-E '' also earned a best song nomination for Peter Gabriel 's `` Down to Earth . '' It will compete against two songs from `` Slumdog Millionaire . '' Bruce Springsteen 's `` The Wrestler '' was left out of the category . The Oscars will be presented February 22 from Hollywood 's Kodak Theatre . The broadcast will air on ABC . Hugh Jackman is scheduled to host . | `` Benjamin Button '' scores 13 Oscar nominations , including best picture , actor . `` Slumdog Millionaire , '' nominated for best picture , considered Oscar front-runner . Heath Ledger , who died exactly one year ago , up for best supporting actor . `` The Reader '' does surprisingly well ; `` Revolutionary Road '' mostly snubbed . | [[96, 182], [325, 366], [378, 413], [1970, 2086], [5233, 5265], [5517, 5583], [5591, 5741], [2087, 2176], [2231, 2280], [1308, 1322], [1329, 1363], [1308, 1322], [1355, 1404], [5063, 5124], [2603, 2621], [2624, 2637], [2774, 2812]] |
Editor 's Note : Daniel J. Mitchell is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute , a libertarian public policy research foundation . He formerly worked at The Heritage Foundation and as an economist for Republican Sen. Bob Packwood and the Senate Finance Committee . He also served on the 1988 Bush-Quayle transition team . Daniel Mitchell says an auto bailout would subsidize bad management and reward inflexible unions . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- General Motors , Ford , Chrysler and the United Auto Workers union are pouring millions of dollars into a lobbying campaign for a taxpayer bailout . The money devoted to influence peddling in Washington would be better spent on improving quality and finding ways to reduce a bloated cost structure , but both management and UAW have decided that fleecing taxpayers is a better option . A taxpayer bailout would be a terrible mistake . It would subsidize the shoddy management practices of the corporate bureaucrats at General Motors , Ford and Chrysler , and it would reward the intransigent union bosses who have made the synonymous with inflexible and anti-competitive work rules . Perhaps most important , though , is that a bailout would be bad for the long-term health of the American auto industry . It would discriminate against the 113,000 Americans who have highly-coveted jobs building cars for Nissan , BMW and other auto companies that happen to be headquartered in other nations . These companies demonstrate that it is possible to build cars in America and make money . Putting them at a competitive disadvantage with handouts for the U.S.-headquartered companies would be highly unjust . A bailout also would be bad for General Motors , Ford and Chrysler . The so-called Big Three desperately need to fundamentally restructure their practices . More specifically , the car companies need to endure some short-term pain in order to restore long-term viability . But that wo n't happen if politicians raid the treasury . Getting access to taxpayer money would be akin to giving an alcoholic the key to a liquor cabinet . It also would be bad for American taxpayers and the American economy . For instance : . • A bailout will hurt the overall economy by misallocating resources . When politicians grant special favors to a certain industry or a particular union , such decisions necessarily mean that market forces are being replaced by special-interest deal-making . This type of interference with free markets is why nations such as France , Germany and Japan tend to grow more slowly and enjoy less prosperity . But if America goes down this same path of government intervention , it is inevitable that we will suffer the same fate of stagnation and higher unemployment . • A bailout will encourage other industries to seek taxpayer handouts . The Wall Street bailout was a disaster in many ways , most notably as measured by the weak stock market and economic volatility . But another negative aspect of the bailout is that other industries have now decided that it is OK to stick their snouts in the public trough , as well . First Wall Street 's high fliers get a bailout . Now the inefficient management and union at the Big Three want a handout . Who will be next in line to pillage taxpayers ? Giving handouts in exchange for political support is akin to getting high . Once politicians decide they like the buzz of campaign contributions , they 'll turn into junkies with ordinary Americans footing the bill . • A bailout is a perverse transfer from poor taxpayers to rich taxpayers . America 's Founding Fathers surely never envisaged that the federal government would take money from one group of Americans and give it to another group . Yet much of the federal budget is devoted to redistribution programs . Bailouts are a particularly bizarre form of redistribution , however , because the corporate bureaucrats at the Big Three are among the very richest Americans . The UAW bosses make extravagant salaries , as well , and even regular union workers make an average total compensation including benefits of approximately $ 70 per hour , far higher than the average American . The government should not be in the business of giving unearned wealth to any group of citizens , but surely liberals and conservatives both can agree that politicians should not be taking money from middle class taxpayers and giving it to upper-middle class and rich taxpayers . Advocates oftentimes admit that bailouts are not good policy , but they invariably argue that short-term considerations should trump long-term sensible policy . Their biggest assertion is that a bailout is necessary to prevent bankruptcy , and that avoiding this result is critical to prevent catastrophe . But Chapter 11 protection may be precisely what is needed to put American auto companies back on the path to profitability . Bankruptcy laws specifically are designed to give companies an opportunity - under court supervision - to reduce costs and streamline operations . Bankruptcy would not be popular in some quarters , to be sure . The bloated management structure would be streamlined and many overpaid executives would be unhappy about having to find new jobs . The UAW would be equally upset , particularly since bankruptcy might force an end to extravagant pension benefits and inefficient workplace practices . But bankruptcy is akin to getting an alcoholic to put down the bottle . There clearly will be short-term discomfort , but compassionate people recognize that this is the best approach . America is on a dangerous path . The Wall Street bailout was a mistake . It transferred a huge amount of money from the productive sector of the economy to the government , and also exacerbated `` moral hazard '' by rewarding companies and executives who made dumb decisions . But this may be the tip of the iceberg . A bailout of U.S.-headquartered auto companies also would be a mistake , as would bailouts of homeowners or any other constituency . If politicians genuinely want to help the economy , they should focus on reducing the burden of government , not increasing it . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Daniel Mitchell . | Daniel Mitchell : Bailing out the Big Three would reward shoddy management . A bailout would be unfair to other auto companies making cars in the U.S. , he says . Mitchell says auto execs , workers and unions are overpaid . Bankruptcy would let the companies streamline their operations , Mitchell says . | [[320, 418], [341, 418], [873, 990], [1641, 1650], [1656, 1709], [1522, 1640], [1641, 1650], [1656, 1709], [5854, 5900], [5906, 5924], [320, 418], [4915, 4955], [4958, 5001]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A couple who allegedly crashed this week 's state dinner at the White House met President Obama in a reception line at the event , a White House official told CNN on Friday . A White House photograph taken Tuesday evening shows Michaele Salahi , wearing a gold-accented red sari , clasping her hands around Obama 's right hand as her smiling husband , Tareq , looks on . The dinner was held for visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh , who is smiling next to the president in the photo . An investigation into Tareq and Michaele Salahi has found that Secret Service agents did not follow protocol at a security checkpoint , the Secret Service said . `` The Secret Service is deeply concerned and embarrassed by the circumstances surrounding the State Dinner on Tuesday , '' the agency said in a statement Friday . `` The preliminary findings of our internal investigation have determined established protocols were not followed at an initial checkpoint , verifying that two individuals were on the guest list . '' The Salahis , who are aspiring reality TV stars , made news when they showed up at Tuesday 's state dinner . The White House says the Salahis were not invited , but their lawyer , Paul W. Garner , `` states emphatically that the Salahis did not ` crash ' this event , '' according to a statement from the couple 's publicist , Mahogany Jones . The Secret Service 's statement says that although the Salahis went through magnetometers and other levels of screening , `` they should have been prohibited from entering the event entirely . '' `` That failing is ours , '' the statement said . The investigation continues and `` appropriate measures have been taken to ensure this is not repeated , '' the agency said . Also Friday , two Secret Service agents visited a Virginia winery to say they wanted to question the couple , according to the winery 's manager . Diane Weiss , manager at the Oasis Winery in Hume , Virginia , said the agents wanted to speak with the Salahis . Weiss said she did n't know their whereabouts . The Warren County Report , a local newspaper , quoted Weiss as saying the agents said they wanted to speak with the couple and not arrest them . It also quoted her as saying that the Salahis live in Linden , Virginia , but receive mail at the winery . And the agents said it was `` imperative '' that investigators speak with the couple and that they would `` take whatever action '' is necessary if they did not , the paper quoted Weiss as saying . Weiss told CNN that the newspaper quoted her accurately , but she declined to elaborate . Meanwhile , court records have revealed a more complete picture of the Salahis , who have left an extensive paper trail in federal bankruptcy and state court filings . They are named in at least 16 different civil suits in Fauquier County , Virginia , near Washington , sometimes as plaintiffs , sometimes as defendants . Family members have sued the county and each other . The family winery , Oasis Winery , has sued Michaele Salahi . They did not respond to CNN requests for comment Thursday about their legal history or the White House dinner . `` At this time the Salahis will not make any formal comments regarding the rumors and media speculation surrounding the White House State Dinner , '' Jones , their publicist , said in a statement . Tareq and Michaele Salahi were engaged in a long court battle with his parents over the winery . Tareq Salahi sued his mother , Corinne , court records show , and the suit was dismissed . The mother sued Tareq Salahi and the case went to trial . The outcome is not clear from a Virginia courts Web site . Tareq and Michaele Salahi won control of the winery in 2007 , but it has run into debt since then . Oasis Winery filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in February of this year , according to U.S. Bankruptcy Court records in the Eastern District of Virginia . Tareq Salahi is listed as company president in the filing . Listed creditors include the IRS , Fauquier County , the state of Virginia , several banks and American Express Corp. , among others . The company claims about $ 335,000 in assets and $ 965,000 in liabilities . | White House official : Couple met Obama in reception line . Secret Service 'em barrassed ' it did n't prevent couple from entering event . White House : Tareq and Michaele Salahi appeared at state dinner uninvited . Secret Service looking for couple , manager says . | [[0, 26], [106, 158], [30, 38], [43, 105], [1051, 1062], [1101, 1159], [1160, 1209], [1781, 1913]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A proposal to house federal prisoners , including some detainees from Guantanamo Bay , in a largely vacant maximum-security prison would be an economic boost to struggling northern Illinois , state officials said Sunday . `` This is something that is very good for our state , it 's good for our economy , it 's good for public safety , '' Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn told reporters . Officials from the departments of Defense , Justice , Homeland Security and the federal Bureau of Prisons will visit the Thomson Correctional Center on Monday , the officials said . Quinn 's office on Saturday said the officials would see whether the `` virtually vacant , state-of-the-art facility '' in Thomson , about 150 miles west of Chicago , could be of use to the Bureau of Prisons . If it is , the governor and other officials said Sunday , it could provide up to 2,000 jobs and up to $ 1 billion in federal money to the area . And Dick Durbin , the Senate 's second-ranking Democrat , said he believes the proposal provides a `` once-in-a-lifetime opportunity '' for his state 's residents . `` There are other states that want to take these jobs , '' Sen. Durbin said . `` We 've got to win this competition . '' Under the proposal , he said , federal officials have said fewer than 100 detainees from the Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba would be housed in the 1,600-bed facility . They would be in a wing under the control of the Department of Defense , while the Bureau of Prisons would assume responsibility for the rest of the facility . The United States is asking other countries to house some of the Guantanamo detainees when the prison is closed , said Durbin , the Senate majority whip . But those countries are asking why America is not housing some of the inmates itself , he said , and use of the Thomson facility would demonstrate to them that the United States is willing to shoulder some of the responsibility . An Obama administration official said Saturday that as part of the conversion at Thomson , the Bureau of Prisons and Defense Department would enhance security to exceed those of the nation 's only supermax prison -- the U.S. Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence , Colorado . No person has ever escaped from the prison . The Thomson proposal , first reported Saturday by the Chicago Tribune , triggered immediate concern from critics . U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk , R-Illinois , whose district covers suburban Chicago , circulated a letter addressed to President Obama to Illinois leaders Saturday , opposing the possible transfer of detainees and saying that housing them in Thomson would turn metropolitan Chicago into `` ground zero for Jihadist terrorist plots , recruitment and radicalization . '' As home to Chicago 's Willis -LRB- formerly Sears -RRB- Tower -- the nation 's tallest building -- `` we should not invite al Qaeda to make Illinois its number one target , '' says Kirk , who is running for the same Senate seat once held by Obama . Durbin on Sunday pointed to the federal maximum-security prison in Marion , Illinois , which he said already houses 35 people convicted of terrorism , along with members of Colombian drug gangs and Mexican drug cartels -- `` some of the most dangerous people in America . '' `` They 're all in our prisons , and they 're all held safely , '' he said . And `` things have n't changed in Marion , Illinois . '' Those housed in the Marion penitentiary include Ali al-Marri , who is serving a sentence of eight years and four months after pleading guilty in federal court to conspiring to provide material support to al Qaeda . The Thomson prison was built in 2001 and sat empty for five years because the state lacked the resources to open it . Despite being built as a maximum-security facility , it houses 144 minimum-security male inmates , according to the Illinois Department of Corrections Web site . `` After living in limbo for eight years , we 're open to any and all alternatives for Thomson , '' said Jerry `` Duke '' Hebeler , Thomson village mayor . He estimated that the move would cut the county 's unemployment in half . `` I 'd never chase jobs if I thought it would jeopardize the security and safety of my neighbors and friends , '' Hebeler said . Quinn said that during the inspection Monday , `` We want to answer any and all questions that the federal authorities have . '' The Obama administration has vowed to close the Guantanamo facility , but acknowledges it is unlikely to happen by its self-imposed January 22 , 2010 , deadline . About 215 men are held there . They include alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed , who officials said Friday will be transferred to New York to go on trial in civilian court . The federal prison system houses approximately 340 inmates linked to international terrorism , including more than 200 tied to international incidents , another Obama official said . CNN 's Jessica Yellin contributed to this report . | Proposal calls for using maximum-security prison in struggling northern Illinois . On Monday , federal officials to visit facility in Thomson , about 150 miles west of Chicago . `` It 's good for our economy , it 's good for public safety , '' Illinois governor says . But Rep. Mark Kirk says plan could make Chicago `` ground zero '' for terror plots , recruitment . | [[0, 15], [126, 208], [3004, 3077], [400, 558], [610, 791], [0, 15], [126, 208], [252, 261], [267, 293], [356, 399], [2396, 2415], [2600, 2751]] |
Mecca , Saudi Arabia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Chanting `` Allahu Akbar '' -- God is Greater than any -- more than 2 million pilgrims crossed new pedestrian bridges Saturday to perform one of the last rituals of the Hajj season . Jamarat is a re-enactment of an event when Prophet Abraham stoned the devil and rejected his temptations , according to Muslim traditions . The ritual stoning of three pillars , which occurs in the tent city of Mina -- about two miles from Mecca , was the scene of stampedes and many deaths in the 1980s and 1990s as pilgrims passed a crowded bottleneck area leading to the small pillars on the ground . But this year the Saudi government completed a new project that avoids past congestion at the site . The government has erected three massive pillars and completed a $ 1.2 billion , five-story bridge nearby where pilgrims can toss stones . Authorities and pilgrims say it 's a roomier atmosphere and more efficient way to accommodate the faithful . `` Everything went fine so far , '' Col. Khakled Qarar Mohammadi , head of the emergency forces at Jamarat , told CNN . `` It is an immense responsibility that we had to deal with . About 3 million pilgrims move in a small geographic area at the same time wanting to do the same ritual . So we have been preparing for this for years now . '' Irtiza Hasan , a pilgrim from the United States , said all went well at the ceremony . `` The only incident I saw was that there were some handicapped women who were turned away in fears that they get hurt . '' But Mohammadi said , `` There are 10 vans on the second floor especially designated to serve the elderly and handicapped . Each van can take up to 14 pilgrims . '' As a measure to alleviate harm , according to Muslim traditions , the elderly and the handicapped can appoint someone else to stone for them . The five-story Jamarat bridge is air-conditioned at 19 degrees Centigrade , or 66 Fahrenheit , throughout the day and backed by water sprinklers that can reduce the temperature to about 29 degrees C , or 84 F . The bridge is designed to allow the addition of seven more levels to hold as many as 5 million pilgrims in the future if the need arises . According to authorities , the bridge is 950 meters -LRB- 1,039 yards -RRB- long and 80 meters -LRB- 87 yards -RRB- wide . Each floor is 12 meters -LRB- 13 yards -RRB- high with three tunnels and 12 entrances and 12 exits in six directions . It has a helicopter pad for emergencies . According to Mohammadi , the project has 509 advanced closed-circuit television cameras monitoring pilgrims ' movements . Those cameras feed into the main operations room , which oversees the Jamarat Bridge and the surrounding areas -- all screened by dozens of security officers on 72 monitors at the operation room . The stoning ritual is done over at least two days , where pilgrims stone three pillars at Mina -- believed to be where the Prophet Abraham stoned the devil when he tried to dissuade him from obeying God 's orders to slaughter his son . According to tradition , the event was a test from God , who gave Abraham a ram to slaughter instead . The last ritual that marks the end of Hajj is when pilgrims go from Mina to Mecca to make a last visit to al-Masjid al-Haram , Islam 's holiest site , before going back home . The ritual is called Tawaf al-Wada ' a -- or farewell circumambulation in the holy mosque . It 's where pilgrims go around the black cube seven times counter-clockwise asking that their Lord accept their pilgrimage and grant them another visit to the holy city . | Goverment constructed three new massive pillars , five-story bridge for Hajj ritual . Jamarat re-enacts Abraham 's stoning the devil , according to Muslim tradition . Ritual was scene of deadly stampedes as pilgrims crammed through bottleneck . The air-conditioned bridge is 950 meters long , 80 meters wide ; each floor is 12 meters high . | [[631, 727], [728, 776], [728, 742], [781, 833], [1836, 1928], [266, 298], [330, 362], [1696, 1705], [1726, 1756], [363, 398], [471, 536], [540, 626], [2213, 2308], [2309, 2427]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A mushroom cloud of thick dark smoke hovered over the Puerto Rican capital after a blast ripped through a fuel storage complex near San Juan early Friday and caused a massive fire . At least one injury occurred and at least 350 people have been evacuated as about 100 firefighters worked through the night to fight the blaze , Gov. Luis Fortuno said . Firefighters said it would take a few days to control the inferno . Eleven tanks are ablaze , and firefighters are trying to cool down the remaining 29 tanks . The tanks are holding jet and diesel fuels and gasoline . Authorities are looking into the cause of the blaze , which took place at Caribbean Petroleum Corp. , a storage complex on San Juan 's bay that owns the Gulf brand in Puerto Rico . iReport.com : See , share , send images of the explosion . Justin Gehrke , a U.S. Army civilian employee who filed an iReport for CNN , was taken aback by the sight of the thick black smoke and took photos of the scene from his iPhone . `` I did n't expect to see a mushroom cloud from my house , '' he said . | Explosion , fire rip through fuel storage complex . One person injured , 350 evacuated near San Juan , Puerto Rico . Caribbean Petroleum Corp. tanks held jet , diesel fuels plus gasoline . iReport.com : Are you there ? Send photos , videos of the flames . | [[0, 15], [56, 172], [0, 15], [177, 200], [201, 229], [234, 299], [531, 588], [770, 781], [790, 795], [798, 828]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- With the weekend arriving and a long day finally over , 8-year-old Cherrie Mahan stepped off her yellow school bus on a chilly Friday around 4 p.m. Cherrie Mahan 's third-grade school photo was used on her missing child flyers . The bus stop was about 100 yards from her home in rural Winfield Township in western Pennsylvania . But Cherrie did not make it to the hilltop trailer she lived in with her parents . She was never seen again . Investigators say her disappearance after the four mile ride home from elementary school on February 22 , 1985 , remains a mystery . `` It 's like a black hole opened up and she fell in , '' said Cherrie 's mother , Janice McKinney . She recalled that she and Cherrie 's stepfather , Leroy , could hear the bus pulling up that day . Soon after Cherrie did not arrive , he went to the stop to look for her . '' He came flying back up because she was n't there , '' McKinney said . Watch what the girl 's mom has to say '' Cherrie , an only child , would soon be celebrating her 33rd birthday , but in the minds of many , she will always remain a missing girl . `` People still talk about it , '' said Trooper Frank Jendesky , the lead detective working on the case for the Pennsylvania State Police for the past 15 years . The driver and children riding the bus remember Cherrie getting off the bus with a few other students who lived nearby . One lingering detail has baffled investigators for years -- reports that a 1976 model van was following the school bus . The van , according to students , had a distinctive painted mural of a snow-capped mountain and skier wearing red and yellow clothes coming down the mountain . Despite many efforts , the van was never found and it remains unclear whether it holds a link to the puzzle . '' By now it 's probably in a junkyard or somewhere , '' said Jendesky , who considers the case a kidnapping or abduction -- rather than a homicide -- because a body was not found . `` It 's the not knowing that kills you , '' McKinney said . '' Every day you wonder and you look at some girl who 's 33 and you wonder , ` Is that her ? ' I look at little kids and wonder , ` Is that my grandchild ? ' '' Over the years , police conducted hundreds of interviews and cleared several persons of interest , while the case file grew to more than 4,000 pages . Among his biggest frustrations , Jendesky said : `` The time lapse and a lot of the calls I 've gotten over the years really had no relevance to the case . '' In the days before Amber Alerts and greater public awareness of crimes against children , McKinney said it took time before word of her daughter 's disappearance became widespread . McKinney said Cherrie 's case was included as a public service insert in a direct mail advertising campaign , one of the first times that approach was taken . Cherrie was especially close with McKinney 's parents . She described how the girl would lovingly mimic her grandfather 's daily morning walk in the garden with his hands cupped behind his back . Hanging in McKinney 's dining room is a picture Cherrie drew of a rainbow , trees , birds and clouds . It says `` Mom and Dad . '' `` I have more memories of my daughter than most people get in a lifetime , '' McKinney said , remembering that Cherrie loved the children 's character Strawberry Shortcake , enjoyed spelling and wanted to be an elementary schoolteacher . The day Cherrie went missing she was bringing home annual school pictures . That photo and the girl who never made it home with it became known to many on missing posters distributed across the nation . `` She was one heck of a special kid , '' McKinney said . `` And there 's somebody out there that knows . And I hope that someday they have a conscience and they 'll let us know . Because that 's all I pray for , is to have an answer . '' Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Cherrie Mahan or those responsible for her disappearance are asked to call the Pennsylvania State Police at -LRB-724-RRB- 284-8100 . | Third-grader disappeared in February 1985 . Police looked for , but never found van with mural of skier . Cherrie Mahan 's missing person flyer was one of first sent by direct mail . Know something ? Call the Pennsylvania State Police at -LRB-724-RRB- 284-8100 . | [[1714, 1737], [2697, 2804], [3864, 4039], [3864, 3966], [3977, 4039]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- EU border patrol missions are scouring the Italian shore in search of yet another missing vessel carrying North Africans attempting to reach Europe , a Maltese commander told CNN Thursday . Many immigrants from Africa attempt to make the perilous journey across the Mediterranean in overcrowded boats . On Friday , a French patrol frigate operating under Frontex , a EU border patrol mission , alerted Italian officials of new incoming vessels after sighting six corpses floating in the Mediterranean . Maltese army officials were unable to recover the corpses because of poor weather conditions . `` Unrelated to these corpses cited , last Friday , we monitored a fiberglass boat that originated from North Africa carrying about 30 to 35 people on board , '' said Major Ivan Consiglio from Valletta , the Maltese capital . `` Its fate is uncertain , '' he said . `` We have lost track of this boat . '' Malta is a hub for immigrants from Africa trying to reach Europe . Approximately 20,000 would-be immigrants have been apprehended on European shores just this year alone , according to Frontex figures . But many do not survive the trek . `` These waters are like the American Wild West , '' Consiglio said . `` So many boats try to cross with families and children and some never make it . '' Humanitarian groups such the Dutch-based UNITED against Racism , which keeps records on immigration , say thousands of Africans have died trying to cross the Mediterranean and the Adriatic . The trek between Sicily and Tunisia has been dubbed `` a floating cemetery for African immigrants . '' In August , 70 people died off the cost of Malta attempting to cross the Mediterranean . On Wednesday , about 300 would-be immigrants were rescued during a storm in the Italian island of Lampedusa . Consiglio said that a growing number of would-be immigrants are braving the waters of the Atlantic in overcrowded dingy boats -- a dangerous mission this time of the year . `` It 's fall here , waters are choppy and covered with fog , '' he said . `` Trips are becoming even riskier and these locally-manufactured fiberglass boats do n't have the same rigidity . '' | This year around 20,000 migrants have been apprehended on European shores . Malta is a hub for immigrants from Africa trying to reach Europe . Thousands of Africans have died trying to cross Mediterranean and Adriatic . | [[990, 1092], [990, 1030], [1095, 1125], [923, 989], [942, 989], [209, 321], [942, 989], [1316, 1378], [1418, 1506]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An emotional Nancy Reagan helped unveil a statue of her late husband , President Reagan , on Wednesday , calling the 7-foot figure `` a wonderful likeness . '' Nancy Reagan , with House Minority Leader John Boehner , wipes away tears at Wednesday 's event . `` I know Ronnie would be deeply honored to see himself with a permanent home in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol and very proud to be representing his beloved California , '' Nancy Reagan said . She appeared to battle emotions as she mentioned her last visit to the marbled hall for Reagan 's memorial in June 2004 . `` It 's nice to be back under happier circumstances , '' she said . Watch Nancy Reagan unveil the statue '' The statue is one of two from California in the National Statuary Hall Collection donated by states to honor significant figures . Nancy Reagan stood arm-in-arm with House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio to pull down the curtain from the statue . She thanked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California for making the event possible . In her remarks , Pelosi noted that the former president 's statue contains pieces of the Berlin Wall , `` as a symbol of his commitment to national security and to his success . '' The wall was torn down shortly after Reagan left office . `` I 'm so grateful to Californians for giving him this honor , '' Nancy Reagan said . `` Artist Chas Fagan has captured his likeness so well , and I think the addition of the pieces of the Berlin Wall in the pedestal reflects my husband 's commitment to freedom and democracy for everyone . '' The former president is credited with polices that led to the break-up of the former Soviet Union and the dismantling of the wall that divided Berlin as a symbol of Cold War politics . James Baker , a longtime Republican who served in the Cabinets of Reagan and President George H.W. Bush , recalled that Reagan inherited some major problems when he took office in 1981 . Citing the former president 's trademark optimism , he quoted from Reagan 's first inaugural address that `` we are not , as some would have us believe , doomed to an inevitable decline . '' Nancy Reagan attended a White House ceremony Tuesday marking Barack Obama 's signing of legislation authorizing a Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission . The 11-member commission will plan activities marking Reagan 's 100th birthday on February 6 , 2011 . Reagan was president from 1981 to 1989 . | NEW : Former first lady touts husband 's `` commitment to freedom '' California donated figure for Capitol Rotunda to honor former president . Pelosi says statue contains pieces of Berlin Wall . Commission planning events to mark 100th birthday in 2011 . | [[1051, 1065], [1068, 1228], [2300, 2401], [2335, 2401]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A weekend incident with racial overtones at a high school for deaf students could result in criminal charges with `` enhanced penalties for a hate crime , '' Metro Police Chief Cathy Lanier said Wednesday . A black student was held against his will and then released with `` KKK '' and swastikas drawn on him in marker at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf on Sunday , she said . No charges have been filed , and no names have been released , Lanier said . The incident began when a group of black students and a group of white students were in a dorm . `` My understanding is the two groups engaged in friendly horseplay , '' she said . But , she said , the groups got `` angry with each other . '' The two groups separated , she said , but later , six white students and one black student -- all between the ages of 15 and 19 -- took one of the black students into a dorm room and `` held him there against his will . '' `` They used markers to write ` KKK ' and draw swastikas on the student , '' Lanier said . The student was released after about 45 minutes . He notified dorm and school authorities , who called police . Lanier said police have identified and interviewed the students involved and the `` investigation is ongoing . '' `` The support we 've received from the campus and from the school employees has been tremendous , '' Lanier said . `` And I think they 're supporting us in making a very strong statement that this investigation may lead to charges that could have enhanced penalties for a hate crime . '' The school is a residential high school on the campus of Gallaudet University , a higher education facility for deaf and hard of hearing people . The high school is administered as a division of the university 's Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center . Dean of Clerc Center Katherine A. Jankowski said the seven students who participated in the incident were sent home . Gallaudet provost Stephen Weiner said the school does `` not tolerate any action , behavior of this type . '' `` We are taking action , '' he said . `` We are looking at programs to help students understand we are a school with a diverse population . '' `` This incident is intolerable , '' he said . `` That 's why the Metro police are involved . That 's how serious we are about this incident . '' Jankowski said the school has also hired a consultant to work with the school and its students on diversity issues . On Monday , teachers and staff hosted a school-wide assembly with students related to the incident , said Jankowski . Individual and group counseling services were also available to students , teachers and staff . `` We are committed to ensuring MSSD is a safe and supportive learning environment , '' she said . E-mail to a friend . | Groups of white , black students argued on Gallaudet University campus . Police : White students and one black student later assaulted black student . Teens could face criminal charges , including hate crimes , police said . None have been charged yet , said police . | [[492, 588], [516, 588], [777, 782], [785, 825], [866, 913], [0, 26], [92, 146], [1496, 1560]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A street vendor in Ghana 's capital sells small American flags with an image of President Obama on them , in front of a billboard that proclaims `` Akwaaba '' -- or `` Welcome '' -- next to a smiling image of the U.S. leader . President Obama says he chose Ghana partly because of the `` democratic commitments '' by President Mills . When Obama arrives in Accra on Friday night , he will be the third sitting American president to visit the West African nation of Ghana . But unlike Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush , Obama is only visiting Ghana and no other country in the continent . Obama said he picked Ghana as the first African country he would visit as U.S. president partly because of the `` democratic commitments '' demonstrated by President John Atta Mills , who took office in January after a close election . `` By traveling to Ghana , we hope to highlight the effective governance that they have in place , '' Obama said Tuesday in an interview with AllAfrica.com . During his 24-hour visit to Ghana , Obama will meet with the president and address parliament before he and first lady Michelle Obama tour the Cape Coast Castle , which was used in the trans-Atlantic slave trade . Security has been tight all week in Accra , and Ghana plans to deploy some 10,000 security forces during Obama 's visit , according to Ghana News Agency -LRB- GNA -RRB- . The White House has set up SMS codes to allow people across Africa to send `` words of welcome '' via text message to Obama during his visit . Obama has already received thousands of messages , and plans to answer several of the questions sent to him , the British Broadcasting Corporation reported on Thursday . Bill Clinton was the first U.S. president to visit Ghana , in 1998 , as part of a six-nation Africa tour . Obama 's predecessor , George W. Bush , stopped there during a four-nation Africa tour during his last year of office that largely focused on U.S. aid programs . Ghana 's government named a road after Bush to recognize his government 's contribution towards the country 's development . As the United States ' first African-American president , Obama 's trip has broader significance as well . Obama 's father is from Kenya and he expressed concern about the political situation in that East African nation . `` The political parties -LSB- in Kenya -RSB- do not seem to be moving into a permanent reconciliation that would allow the country to move forward , '' Obama told AllAfrica.com . `` And Kenya is not alone in some of the problems that we 've seen of late , post-election or pre-election . '' Many in Kenya were critical of Obama 's decision to pick Ghana the first African nation he visited instead of his father 's birthplace . During his campaign for president , Obama was hailed by many as a `` son of Kenya . '' Shortly after the White House announced the Ghana trip in May , newspaper headlines in Nairobi asked , `` Why Obama Snubbed Kenya . '' A political cartoon in one Kenyan paper showed Air Force One dropping a note to Kenya 's leaders saying , `` Get your act together , '' as it flew over the country . Obama said he wanted his visit to Africa to mean more than just something to cross off his list as U.S. president . `` I actually thought that it made sense for us to connect a trip to Ghana to a previous trip with the G8 ... to show that Africa is directly connected to our entire foreign policy approach , '' Obama told AllAfrica.com . `` That it 's not some isolated thing where once every term you go visit Africa for a while to check that box , but rather it 's an ongoing part of a broader discussion about how we move many of these international challenges forward . '' As Ghana gears up for the visit , a group of local singers and rap artists wrote a welcome song for Obama and produced a music video on YouTube . `` President Obama , Welcome to Ghana , '' they sing , with images of U.S. and Ghanaian flags interspersed between the musicians . `` We welcome you to the Land of Gold . '' | President Obama arrives in the West African nation Friday night . Obama says he picked Ghana partly because of the `` democratic commitments '' Group of local singers , rap artists write a welcome song for U.S. president . Kenyan media wondered why Obama did n't choose to visit his ancestral nation first . | [[359, 397], [354, 491], [246, 353], [267, 353], [665, 753], [724, 798], [3719, 3733], [3753, 3824], [2841, 2902], [2905, 2941], [2945, 2972]] |
-LRB- InStyle.com -RRB- -- So you 're finally ready to settle down and make that marriage proposal ? There 's no better time to do it than engagement season , which , lucky for you , is now ! Get inspired by these uber-romantic celebrity proposals . Brandon Routh popped the question to Courtney Ford while on a picnic . Tia Mowry and Cory Hardrict . Although the set of a slasher movie seems an unlikely place for romance to bloom , that 's just where it happened for actors Tia Mowry and Cory Hardrict . Shortly after shooting began in 1999 on their film `` Hollywood Horror , '' the co-stars started spending time together . Seven years later , on Christmas Day 2006 , Hardrict , 32 , told Mowry , 30 , that he wanted to give her a promise ring . Then , as her entire family looked on , the `` Lincoln Heights '' actor yelled , `` Psych ! '' and got down on one knee to present her with a 1.5-carat diamond engagement ring . Antonio Pierce and Jocelyn Maldonado . Antonio Pierce , an NFL linebacker , met Jocelyn Maldonado during a celebrity appearance at an ESPN Fantasy Football Draft . Maldonado , a model at the event , instantly caught his eye . Pierce and Maldonado -LRB- who now hosts Mets Weekly -RRB- were inseparable over the next six months . In February 2007 , Pierce treated Maldonado to a helicopter ride above Manhattan , New York , before dining at Brooklyn 's The River Café . Famous for its chocolate Brooklyn Bridge cake , Pierce conspired with the restaurant 's manager to place the engagement ring atop the confection , which was covered with pink rose petals . Howie Dorough and Leigh Boniello . Backstreet Boy Howard `` Howie '' Dorough got more than he bargained for after hiring Leigh Boniello to be the band 's webmaster in December 2000 . Boniello went on tour with the group and quickly grew close to Dorough . Six years later , the couple attended a New Year 's Eve party at the New Jersey home of Boniello 's father . `` I figured , what better timing , '' says Dorough , `` because all of her family was going to be there , including her 92-year-old grandmother . '' Just before the stroke of midnight , Dorough made a toast and presented Boniello with a custom-designed three-stone diamond engagement ring . Brandon Routh and Courtney Ford . Three years before actor Brandon Routh donned those famous blue tights , he tended bar at Lucky Strike Lanes in Hollywood . During a party there in 2003 , actress Courtney Ford repeatedly poured out the drinks he made her as a ruse to chat him up . `` I kept asking him for another drink , telling him the one before was too strong , '' she recalls . In 2006 , Routh purchased the 3-carat diamond ring that had caught Ford 's eye during an earlier visit to Neil Lane . But since the two were traveling for the Superman Returns press tour , Routh asked Gilbert Adler , one of the film 's producers , to hold the ring until they arrived in England . `` Poor man ! '' says Routh . `` He carried it around for two and a half weeks . '' Finally , while picnicking in Glastonbury , Routh popped the question . Roselyn Sanchez and Eric Winter . Roselyn Sanchez and Eric Winter became friends after meeting at a party in 2006 and Sanchez immediately pegged him as perfect husband material . She found out for certain that he felt the same way just two days before Christmas 2007 , under a full moon at midnight , in a bay off the coast of the Puerto Rican island Vieques . The two were seated in a double kayak , taking in the bioluminescent organisms shimmering in the water all alone , except for a tour guide in a second kayak . The scene should have been pure bliss , except that Sachez was concerned when their guide speedily paddled away . `` The guy knew to take off so Eric could propose , but imagine how I felt floating in this huge bay in the middle of the night with nobody around , '' Sanchez explains . `` I started calling back , ` Senor , hello ! Come back ! ' until I realized something was going on . '' After an `` amazing speech , '' Winter pulled out a 4.3-carat brilliant-cut diamond ring by Michael Barin , Sanchez 's favorite jeweler . But her joy was soon laced with anxiety over the fact that such a costly bauble was surrounded by acres of sea . `` I said , ` Put it away , please . I do n't want it to drop in the water ! ' '' Anna Chlumsky and Shaun So . Actress Anna Chlumsky , 27 , best known for her role in `` My Girl , '' was awaiting her seven-year anniversary with college sweetheart and army reservist Shaun So , 28 , and hoping he might pop the question . While they were having breakfast at a café in her neighborhood a week before their anniversary , Chlumsky described a cocktail ring a friend was selling . So , who had been carrying an engagement ring for two weeks in anticipation of the perfect moment , pulled out the 1-carat , cathedral-mounted , radiant-cut bauble and asked , `` Does it look anything like this ? '' Guiliana DePandi & Bill Rancic . It started out all business : Giuliana DePandi was interviewing Bill Rancic , first-season winner on `` The Apprentice '' and co-host of the Chicago , Illinois , TV show `` In the Loop with iVillage . '' But when the cameras stopped rolling in April 2006 , a whirlwind -- and adventurous -- romance began . Eight months later , when Rancic , 36 , popped the question during a chopper flight over Chicago , complete with champagne , Giordano 's deep-dish pizza -LRB- DePandi 's favorite -RRB- and Michael Bublé tunes piped into the headset . `` Bill told me we were going to look at Christmas lights , '' says DePandi . `` It was dark in the helicopter , so I did n't really get a look at the ring until the next day , when I went into shock for the second time , '' she says of the 4-carat cushion-cut diamond in a micro pavé setting Rancic helped design . Jeri Ryan and Chistophe Eme . `` He was hot ! '' Shark star Jeri Ryan , 39 , recalls of first glimpsing her future husband , Christophe Emé , 38 , at a food-related charity event four years ago . `` He looked good in his chef 's hat , and he had this ornery little spark in his eye that I really enjoy . '' After dating for two years , the couple opened Ortolan , their celebrated French restaurant in Los Angeles , California . The proposal came soon after . `` One night , Christophe covered my eyes and took me into our bedroom , '' recalls Ryan . There the die-hard romantic had placed candles , champagne and a canvas painted with the messages `` And you come with me forever '' in French and `` Grow old along with me '' in English . Emé then presented Ryan with a made-to-order cushion-cut solitaire set in pavé diamonds . Jason Priestley and Naomi Lowde . Fate has looked after Jason Priestley . On Valentine 's Day 2000 the actor met Naomi Lowde , a makeup artist from Hertfordshire , England , while walking back from a play rehearsal in London . `` I was smitten , '' says Priestley , now 36 . The Beverly Hills , 90210 alum and Lowde , 27 , immediately began dating , and in 2002 they moved back to California together . That 's when fate took another turn : On August 11 , 2002 , Priestley was driving his race car on a Kentucky track when he hit a wall at 180 mph . Though he sustained three skull fractures , a broken back and a bleeding artery in his neck , he pulled through . `` It was a tough time , but it was also magical because we kept each other 's spirits high , '' says Lowde . `` We pushed two beds together in the hospital and put Swifty , our French bulldog , in the middle . We were together 24 hours a day , seven days a week , for three months . '' In May 2004 Priestley arranged another trip to London , England -- to the very street corner where he and Naomi first met , where he presented her with an emerald-cut , three-diamond ring by Steven Pomerantz . Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell . What happens in Vegas does n't always stay in Vegas -- and for Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell , that 's not a bad thing . Nearly four years ago the two ran into each other poolside at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas , Nevada . `` I was working on a documentary , and Jerry offered to help , '' recalls Romijn , 35 . `` He spent a week operating the microphone , but later he told me he would have done anything . I do n't think he really cared about the project , if you know what I mean . '' For their first date the couple went to see the Blue Man Group with friends , and O'Connell had Romijn in stitches . `` It was this whole Jerry show in my ear . That 's how it is with Jerry . You get sucked into it ! '' Evidently : A year and a half later , on September 18 , 2005 , O'Connell , 33 , proposed to Romijn in New York with a diamond ring from Simon G. `` I got down on one knee , asked her to marry me and said , ` You better say yes ' a couple of times -- there was a little bit of a pause on her part , '' says O'Connell . Romijn 's take ? `` Not true ! '' Get a FREE TRIAL issue of InStyle - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2009 Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | Tia Mowry and Cory Hardrict got engaged on the set of a slasher movie . Backstreet Boy Howard `` Howie '' Dorough proposed on New Year 's Eve . Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell first met in Las Vegas , Nevada . Jason Priestley proposed on the street corner where he and Naomi Lowde met . | [[7675, 7697], [7704, 7726]] |
SEATTLE , Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An outbreak of flu at Washington State University showed few signs of slowing down as more students continued to report symptoms suspected of being from the H1N1 virus , school officials said Wednesday . WSU Web page gives information , advice to students who suspect they may have H1N1 virus . About 2,500 students have come down with possible cases of H1N1 since classes began August 24 , said James Tinney , WSU director of media relations . He added , `` It takes about three to four days to get over the virus , so many of the people who have had it are already feeling better and are back in class . '' On Wednesday , 169 new suspected cases of the virus , also known as swine flu , were reported among the nearly 18,000 students that make up the school 's Pullman , Washington campus , according to a university news release . The university said while it is no longer testing sick students to confirm H1N1 , it is following guidelines from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention and the local health department by `` treating all patients with influenza-like symptoms as if they have H1N1 . '' Students who contact the school health services department complaining of symptoms of swine flu are urged to stay at home and drink fluids . None of the suspected H1N1 cases have required hospitalization so far , said a university news release . Watch report on what to look for with H1N1 '' Despite the high number of possible cases , media director Tinney said the students and faculty are not alarmed . `` The symptoms are fairly mild ; some people have said milder than a regular case of the flu . I do n't see people walking around the campus wearing masks , '' he said . Read about H1N1 facts '' But Tinney said officials were surprised that the long Labor Day weekend , when most students left campus , did not do more to interrupt the virus ' spread . `` I guess we are an early test case of how this virus will spread over the population , '' Tinney said . | Outbreak of flu at Washington State University shows few signs of slowing down . No one suspected of having swine flu has been hospitalized so far , school says . Some of the people stricken say illness feels milder than regular case of flu . University `` treating all patients with influenza-like symptoms as if they have H1N1 '' | [[0, 7], [10, 36], [90, 149], [1290, 1359], [1555, 1586], [1587, 1650], [1069, 1122]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man dubbed `` the Field Marshal '' by one advocacy group for alleged third-world arms dealing has been arrested on charges that he conspired to illegally export U.S. F-5 fighter jet engines and parts to Iran . An Iranian F-5 fighter jet lands in southern Iran during a military exercise on June 23 , 2009 . Jacques Monsieur , 56 , a Belgium native who currently lives in France , was arrested Friday in New York , officials said . An indictment also charges Dara Fotouhi , 54 , an Iranian living in France , with participating in the alleged crime . Fotouhi remains at large , official said . Monsieur pleaded not guilty at an arraignment Wednesday in Mobile , Alabama , where he is being held . He and Fotouhi are charged with conspiracy , money laundering and smuggling , as well as violations of the Arms Export Control Act and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act . According to the indictment and an affidavit filed in the case , both are experienced arms dealers who have been actively working with the Iranian government to procure military items . The F-5 Freedom Fighter , also called the Tiger , is built by Northrop and is used by the U.S. military for training . It is also sold overseas as a combat aircraft . The F-5 engine and parts are listed on the U.S. Munitions List and may not be exported from the United States without a license from the State Department , said John Morton , head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement , and they can not be exported to Iran without a license from the Treasury Department . In a 2002 report by the Center for Public Integrity , a citizen advocacy group , Monsieur was nicknamed `` the Field Marshal '' for allegedly acting as a middle-man in numerous arms deals with war-torn countries . The center 's report said Monsieur is `` believed to be among the biggest arms traffickers in Europe '' and said he `` violated a United Nations embargo by shipping arms to Bosnia and Croatia during the long , bloody conflict in those countries , with the approval , he later claimed , of both the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and the ... French domestic intelligence service . '' Morton said his agency launched an investigation in February when Monsieur contacted an undercover federal agent and indicated he wanted to buy engines for F-5 or C-130 aircraft for export to Iran . In subsequent e-mails to the agent , Monsieur requested engines for F-5 jet fighters . Officials said the engines could be used as replacements in fighters sold to Iran by the United States before the imposition of sanctions in 1995 . In March , Monsieur met with the undercover agent in Paris and again requested engines and parts , the indictment alleges . They met again in May in London , where Monsieur introduced Fotouhi as a business associate and again discussed the export of F-5 engines to Iran , according to the indictment . During this negotiation , it says , Monsieur and Fotouhi asked the agent if he could use U.S. shipping or export authorization documents that falsely indicated the items were going to Colombia . In July , Monsieur and Fotouhi wired about $ 110,000 from a bank in the United Arab Emirates to one in Mobile , Alabama , the indictment says . `` The two believed the funds would be used for the purchase of F-5 aircraft parts , '' Morton said . Monsieur indicated he would deposit an additional $ 300,000 as a down payment for the purchase of two jet engines . `` This is part of our long-standing efforts to ensure that sensitive military equipment is not exported in violation of U.S. law and against the international interests of the United States , '' Morton said . | A man dubbed `` the Field Marshal '' allegedly tried to get F-5 engine parts for Iran . F-5 built by Northrop ; used by U.S. military for training ; used overseas for combat . Immigration and Customs Enforcement launched investigation . Arrest part efforts to stop improper export of sensitive military equipment . | [[30, 66], [160, 241], [2238, 2246], [2289, 2370], [2371, 2405], [2408, 2457], [2606, 2614], [2617, 2625], [2669, 2702], [1099, 1122], [1141, 1169], [1099, 1122], [1161, 1217], [1218, 1265], [2172, 2232], [2184, 2246], [3484, 3655]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Cosmologist , theoretical physicist and author , Stephen Hawking is possibly the world 's greatest living scientist . Submit a question for scientist Stephen Hawking and we will put the best to him on `` The Spirit of Space '' in October . Certainly , he is a preeminent authority on all things space-related . This is the man , after all , who once said : `` My goal is simple . It is a complete understanding of the universe . '' It is this drive to get a better grasp on the laws which govern the universe that has informed Hawking 's research since the early days when he was a research fellow at Cambridge University in the UK . One of his great achievements since then , together with mathematician Roger Penrose , has been to prove that Einstein 's General Theory of Relativity means space and time has a beginning in the `` Big Bang '' and ends in black holes . In 1998 , Hawking published `` A Brief History of Time , '' a layman 's guide to the origins of the universe . The popular science book , which is aimed at helping the general public to answer questions like , `` Where did the universe come from ? '' and `` Will it end and if so , how ? '' is a best-seller and has since become a modern classic . As part of next month 's `` The Spirit of Space '' show we are interviewing Hawking and giving Web site users the opportunity to submit a question to the professor . Please put forward your short and space-related questions in the Sound Off box below . We will put the best to him , and air his responses on `` The Spirit of Space '' in October . The Spirit of Space will air at the following times in October : . Thursday 9 October : 1300 , 1730 Saturday 11 October : 0700 , 1730 Sunday 12 October : 0300 , 0730 , 1300 . | Submit your space-related questions for Stephen Hawking . We will put the best questions to arguably the world 's greatest living scientist . His responses will be aired on `` The Spirit of Space '' in October . | [[154, 201], [154, 275], [1310, 1312], [1342, 1419], [85, 153], [154, 201], [154, 275], [1507, 1534], [154, 275], [1507, 1509], [1541, 1600]] |
NEW YORK -- There 's no shortage of diners in New York City , but one of its most beloved will soon be taking up residence in Alabama . The Cheyenne Diner , which opened in 1940 in New York City , shut its doors in April 2008 . The Cheyenne Diner , which first opened in 1940 , was split in two Monday night to begin its move on a pair of flatbed trucks some 860 miles to its new home near Birmingham . The dining experience at the Cheyenne was typical of many similar New York eateries , where more often than not , you 're guaranteed a hearty meal at a comfortable price . After taking a seat in a roomy booth or even at the counter , you check out the flimsy paper placemat with innocuous historical information or a simplified map of the Greek Isles . A busboy places a glass of ice water on your table . Then it 's time to break out the reading glasses and flex those muscles to heft the always lengthy menu . While it may take you several minutes to sift through it , take comfort in knowing that you may actually burn some calories by lifting this bible of comfort food . Unlike the sometimes stuffy pretense of a formal restaurant , the diner experience is generally simple , while the food offerings are diverse -- from apple pie to baked ziti and everything in between . While never known as a bastion for fine dining , the Cheyenne saw brighter days before it unceremoniously closed on a chilly Sunday in April 2008 . Originally known as the Market Diner until its moniker was changed in 1986 , the pre-assembled restaurant stood as a rare classic definition of free-standing diners . Its streamlined , railcar-inspired design boasts a reverse-channel illuminated neon sign . Horizontal and vertical stainless steel strips border the colorful enamel panels and wrap-around windows on its facade . Celebrities from Jerry Lewis to David Letterman entered through its curved entryway lined with glass blocks . But , like a beloved baseball team whose owner has tossed in the towel , the Cheyenne is moving to a new town for a new life in a new home . The owner of the diner , George Papas , wanted to change the flavor of the block and replace the eatery with a multilevel condo building . Enter preservationist Michael Perlman , a 26-year-old patron saint of sorts for unwanted diners . Perlman found out that the Cheyenne was facing demolition and began to look for a guardian angel to save it . He connected with Alabama businessman Joel Owens , head of the investment group NAIC , who saw the Cheyenne for sale on a Web site devoted to the preservation of New York City structures and fell in love with its `` gorgeous structure . '' `` I like it better each time I see it , '' Owens said . `` The barrel roof . The exterior facades are second to none . I think it 's the most beautiful diner in the world . '' Owens and his business associate , Patti Miller , have a grand vision for the diner and eventually want to incorporate it as part of an entertainment and historic area outside of Birmingham . Once it 's restored , which could take up to a year , the Cheyenne will become the first free-standing diner in Alabama , Owens said . A longtime collector of antique cars and Coca-Cola memorabilia , Owens is a firm believer in the lessons that can be learned from the past . `` If you think about what 's wrong with today , in order to fix the problems of today , you 've got to look back ... -LSB- to -RSB- when it was better , '' Owens said . `` I think -LSB- the diner -RSB- is symbolic of the glory days . Technology and more money does n't necessarily mean progress . We long for simpler times , '' he explained . `` These types of buildings can be an instrument for our youth to learn from the past . Teenagers need a clean environment for entertainment , a ` hang out . ' '' The departure of the Cheyenne Diner brings back some bitter memories for aficionados of historic New York . The Moondance Diner encountered a similar fate in 2007 , after it was put up for sale by developers who purchased the land it was sitting on and planned to build a hotel . That summer , a couple from Wyoming found the Moondance 's sale notice on the American Diner Museum Web site . Perlman acted as a conduit there also , helping to broker the sale of the 1920s diner located in the SoHo section of Manhattan , which the couple planned to move to their home state . When news of the sale and move came out , the Pierces began to have some doubts . `` We 're quiet people , '' said Cheryl Pierce , of La Barge , Wyoming . '' -LSB- But -RSB- the media response has been a blessing as people have shown a keen interest . '' Pierce and her husband paid $ 7,500 for the Moondance and ultimately invested $ 40,000 to move it more than 2,100 miles to La Barge , where it became a popular site in the town of 600 residents with few other restaurants . The barrel-roofed diner reopened on January 12 this year , complete with its original floor and window frames . Customers can sit at the old-fashioned soda fountain or on the outdoor patio in the summer . The menu contains the traditional diner fare -- burgers , fries and milk shakes -- but also caters to the local palate , with chicken fried steaks , ribeye steaks and prime rib . `` Business has been exceptional . We 've been able to hold our own , '' said Pierce . `` We get a lot of people who take a detour to visit us . '' She noted that it 's a lot of work , and a huge commitment , but said she and her husband `` have been blessed . '' `` There 's never going to be another Moondance Diner , '' she said . In response to critics who complain that historic pieces of New York City are being sold off , Pierce said that in the cases of old diners , `` to keep it alive , somewhere else is the best option , -LSB- rather -RSB- than seeing it demolished . We 've run into New Yorkers who are appreciative that we brought it back to life . '' Owens is hoping that will be the case with the Cheyenne , which was loved as a no-frills refuge for comfort food on Manhattan 's desolate west side . But now it 's served up its last order in New York . And that last order was to go . | The Cheyenne Diner , opened in 1940 , moves to its new home by Birmingham . Preservationist hooked up with Alabama businessman to save diner . Businessman : Cheyenne will be the first free-standing diner in Alabama . Celebrities from Jerry Lewis to David Letterman were seen in New York diner . | [[228, 246], [255, 275], [228, 246], [278, 402], [2406, 2454], [3015, 3034], [3067, 3134], [1808, 1891]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A prisoner killed in a Maryland county jail on Sunday was a victim of `` vigilante justice , '' Prince George 's County Chief Executive Jack Johnson said . Ronnie White , 19 , died of strangulation and asphyxiation and had two broken bones in his neck , an autopsy showed . An attorney for White 's family said that because White was being held in solitary confinement at the Prince George 's County Correctional Center , a corrections officer would have had to let whoever killed the prisoner into his cell . His death came two days after his arrest in connection with the death of Prince George 's County police Cpl. Richard Findley , who died Friday after being struck by a truck . Authorities believe that White was driving the truck , which was thought to be stolen . Police were attempting to flag it down when Findley was struck . `` The killing of the officer is absolutely abhorrent , but also , Mr. White was presumed innocent and deserved his day in court just like any other citizens , '' Johnson said Monday night . `` We live in a constitutional democracy , and no one has the right to be judge and jury . '' The FBI 's Baltimore field office said it has opened a civil rights investigation into White 's death . The Justice Department said Tuesday that federal prosecutors have been in contact with the state police and FBI as well as county prosecutors and the department 's own Civil Rights Division . `` In support of the Prince George 's County State 's Attorney 's Office , which intends to retain lead responsibility for the criminal investigation , the U.S. Attorney 's Office will provide guidance and legal advice to the officials looking into the death and seeking to develop evidence of criminal violations , '' the department said in a written statement . Johnson said Monday that he had requested that the Maryland State Police conduct an independent investigation into White 's death . White family attorney Bobby Henry said there are only two ways someone could get into solitary confinement . Watch why death has outraged family '' `` You either have to be buzzed in from the booth -- I believe it 's called the control booth -- you need a key from there , or you have to get a key from one of two officers who were assigned to his unit on that day , '' Henry said . The attorney said a `` yet to be identified person or persons took it upon themselves to be the judge , jury and executioner for Mr. White . '' `` The family of Ronnie White is absolutely , unequivocally outraged , incensed and deeply saddened that the life of their loved one could be taken so cold -LSB- ly -RSB- , so callously , '' Henry said Tuesday . `` Something is dreadfully wrong with the system . '' County authorities have said that police are not suspects and that seven corrections officials and an unspecified number of supervisors were the only ones authorized to be in White 's cell . None has been suspended or removed . There were no surveillance cameras in the area of the jail where White was being held . White had not had the opportunity to meet with an attorney , Henry said . A physical conducted when White was processed revealed no health issues , according to Johnson . He was checked regularly in his cell and appeared fine when corrections officers saw him at 10:15 a.m. Sunday . When officers brought him lunch 20 minutes later , he was unconscious and without a pulse , Johnson said . Henry said White 's family was not notified of his death until several hours after it occurred . They were told to go to Prince George 's Hospital to identify the body , he said , but upon arrival were told the state medical examiner 's office had taken custody of the body and it had been taken to Baltimore . `` At this very moment , the family has not even seen the body of their loved one , '' Henry said . `` They have been denied the opportunity to start the grieving process which naturally must occur . '' He said White 's family is calling upon the Department of Justice , the FBI , the Maryland State Police and county officials `` to conduct a thorough and exhaustive investigation into all of these tragic events , beginning with the events of Friday , June 27 , and continuing up until this time . '' Prince George 's County State 's Attorney Glenn Ivey said a grand jury will be convened in the case . He said his office , which will handle any prosecutions that might result , is keeping an open mind . `` We 'll follow the evidence wherever it leads , '' he said . He added that he 's `` never seen one like this . We 've had deaths in custody , but this could be a unique one . '' CNN 's Jeanne Meserve and Mike Ahlers contributed to this report . | NEW : FBI opens civil rights investigation . 19-year-old held in connection with death of police officer . Ronnie White died of strangulation . White was in solitary confinement at Prince George 's County Corrections Center . | [[1142, 1245], [1181, 1245], [175, 187], [195, 233], [293, 517], [335, 528]] |
MOSCOW , Russia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A strong Russia is good for the United States , President Obama said in a speech in Moscow , where he is visiting in an effort to `` reset '' the countries ' relations . President Obama meets with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Tuesday before heading to the G-8 in Italy . Obama delivered a commencement speech Tuesday at a Moscow graduate school . `` America wants a strong , peaceful and prosperous Russia , '' he told a large crowd at the New Economic School . `` This belief is rooted in our respect for the Russian people , and a shared history between our nations that goes beyond competition . '' He repeated the message in a meeting later with Russian business leaders , but also said Russia has to do more to fight corruption . `` We have to promote transparency , accountability , rule of law on which investments and economic growth depend , '' he said . Watch Obama discuss thoughts on Kremlin visit '' `` We want Russia to be selling us goods and we want Russia to be buying goods from us , '' he said . `` Total trade between our countries is just $ 36 billion . Our trade -- America 's trade with Russia -- is only about 1 percent of all our trade with the world -- 1 percent -- a percent that 's virtually unchanged since the Cold War . '' Watch Obama 's full opening statement '' Obama later met Russian opposition leaders , speaking of the importance for the country to `` not simply tolerate dissenting voices but also to respect and recognize dissenting voices . '' Obama also spoke to civil society leaders , promising the United States will support universal values and human rights such as the rights of people to live as they choose , to have a free press and to speak their minds . On Monday Obama met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and discussed a series of agreements -- including one on nuclear-arms reduction -- as part of an effort to strengthen ties between the one-time Cold War rivals . The two signed a deal on parameters for negotiations to replace the START agreement , with the goal of reducing nuclear weapons . START expires December 5 . Watch Obama discuss arms control pact '' Under Monday 's agreement , Russia and the United States will reduce their strategic warheads to a range of 1,500 to 1,675 , and their strategic delivery vehicles to a range of 500 to 1,100 . The numbers would be a reduction from the expiring START , which allowed 2,200 warheads and 1,600 launch vehicles . The two-day summit in Moscow was to help refocus a relationship that , according to Obama , `` has suffered from a sense of drift '' in recent years . The president reiterated that in his speech Tuesday . `` That is why I have called for a ` reset ' in relations between the United States and Russia , '' Obama said . `` This must be more than a fresh start between the Kremlin and the White House , though that is important , '' he said . `` It must be a sustained effort among the American and Russian people to identify mutual interests and to expand dialogue and cooperation that can pave the way to progress . '' Obama met with Medvedev again Tuesday and with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin before heading to Italy for the Group of Eight summit . The G-8 agenda is packed with issues , including Iran , the global financial crisis , climate change and eradicating world poverty . Putin said his meeting with Obama was `` very good and substantive . '' `` We also talked about how we will be improving our relations in the near - and medium-term . It was a very well-intentioned and substantial conversation in many concrete fields . We have many points we agree on , '' Russia 's prime minister said . After his speech , Obama sat down with Ed Henry , CNN senior White House correspondent , for a brief interview . The president spoke about a wide range of issues , including how much his daughters were enjoying Moscow , his impressions of Putin , relations with Iran and Michael Jackson . On Iran , Obama reiterated recent statements about the post-election protests there . `` Events in recent weeks have disturbed the world . They are not only heartbreaking , but raise questions over where leaders want to take the country , '' Obama said . `` We have to wait and see how the dust settles . But we have to speak out and say that the Iranian people have to be treated with justice . '' The president also spoke about the legacy of Michael Jackson , on the day of the pop star 's public memorial program . `` No doubt he was one of greatest entertainers of our or any generation . Like Elvis , Sinatra , the Beatles , he became core part of our culture , '' Obama said . `` His extraordinary talent and music was mixed with big dose of tragedy in private life . It is important for us to affirm the best of him . '' CNN 's Jill Dougherty contributed to this report . | NEW : PM Putin : Much agreement in `` well-intentioned , substantial '' talks . Obama cites respect for Russian people , shared history that transcends competition . Obama is in Moscow for two-day summit with President Medvedev , Putin . Obama , Medvedev sign `` joint understanding '' on cutting nuclear arsenals . | [[3355, 3423], [3366, 3423], [3522, 3607], [3642, 3676], [501, 563], [570, 606], [595, 606], [612, 637], [205, 309], [1744, 1802], [2471, 2534], [2471, 2499], [2504, 2621], [3089, 3189]] |
Editor 's note : Ed Rollins , a senior political contributor for CNN , was political director for President Reagan and chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee . Ed Rollins says Jack Kemp 's intellect and force of personality helped guide the Republican party . NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The world of politics has many players but few giants . One of the giants left the stage last week . I was privileged to have had Jack Kemp as a friend . Our friendship was not unique , because Jack Kemp had thousands and maybe tens of thousands of people who thought of themselves as his friend . He gave his friendship willingly and with a spirit of generosity . Those of us who knew him are saddened by his passing and the political world is a whole lot emptier because he 's gone . When Jack entered a room he filled it with an energy and fervor and his presence was felt big-time . Every conversation with him became a debate , even if you agreed with him on an issue . Jack Kemp had no casual thoughts . I knew Jack for nearly 40 years . He was one of my early heroes . To this day I think of myself as a Reagan-Kemp Republican . We both were Californians who came out of blue-collar working-class roots . His father was a truck driver , my father a shipyard worker . We both wanted to remake the Republican Party into a party for working people where hard work was rewarded and opportunities were offered to every man and woman regardless of background , color , religion or beliefs . Jack went from a 13-year all-star career as the starting quarterback with the Buffalo Bills straight to Congress . He was first elected in 1970 and over the next four decades he was one of the most influential and popular men in the Republican Party . He was a true intellectual , a vociferous reader and was a warrior for his ideas . He took the intensity that made him the AFL 's most valuable player directly to the halls of Congress without missing a beat . In his 18 years in Congress he was a leader of the new breed of conservatives . After he ran for president in 1988 , he was appointed the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development -LRB- HUD -RRB- by President George H.W. Bush . In 1996 , he was the Republican vice presidential nominee running with Sen. Bob Dole 's presidential effort . Along the way he was an extraordinary husband for 50 years to his wonderful Joanne and a remarkable father to his two sons , Jeff and Jimmy , and his two daughters , Jennifer and Judith , who provided him 17 grandchildren . I was the national chairman of Jack 's presidential campaign in 1988 . I believed he was the rightful heir to Ronald Reagan and that his conservative principles and ideas would continue to build on the foundation that President Reagan had established . Many of us thought Jack or Sen. Paul Laxalt , Reagan 's closest friend and campaign chairman , should have been the vice presidential candidate in 1980 . If either of them had been selected , he likely would have been the future president and there would not have been a Bush dynasty . They were the favorites of the convention delegates and President Reagan 's top choices , too . He was argued out of them because people said you could n't have a movie star running with a football star -- or two former governors from neighboring states -LRB- California and Nevada -RRB- . Be that as it may . Jack 's contributions to Ronald Reagan 's legacy as the tax-cutting guru and unstoppable missionary of supply side economics made much of President Reagan 's domestic policy possible . Even though he had always been a quarterback , he became a blocking back for President Reagan in moving his legislation through Congress . Shortly after he became HUD secretary in 1989 , several National Football League team owners came to him offering him the job of National Football League Commissioner to replace his long time friend Pete Rozelle . He told me it was the one job he always wanted . My counsel was to take it . He called me back several days later and said he could n't , because he felt he owed it to President Bush not to walk away after so short a time and that he so wanted to help all those in the urban communities who needed help . Jack was the Republican party 's greatest advocate of a `` big tent theory '' and felt the party of Lincoln needed to do more to broaden civil rights and encourage minority participation . He often said he played and showered with more African-Americans then most Republicans meet in a lifetime . They were his friends , and in sports you learn all men bleed the same color . He often repeated the line : `` I was n't there with Rosa Parks or Dr. King or John Lewis . But I am here now , and I am going to yell from the rooftops about what we need to do . '' And just as he led his Bills to back to back championships , he drove his party to an ideology that led to the Republican Congressional majorities in the '90s . Like all of us , Jack was n't perfect , but he was darn good . As someone who tried to manage him , I found that he was n't manageable . I once told him : `` Jack , if I could remove half your knowledge and three-quarters of your vocabulary , I could make you into a decent candidate . '' He laughed and went on his merry way . And of course it was that incredible intellect and his passion for words as well as people that made him such a powerful force . Jack Kemp was the indefatigable happy warrior , who over the last four decades drove his party with an intellectual fervor that influenced every leader from President Reagan to Speaker Newt Gingrich . He fought for his ideas with an intensity like that of very few men I have known . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ed Rollins . | Ed Rollins : Jack Kemp helped guide Republican Party in 1980s and 1990s . He says Kemp was a strong source of ideas the party put to use . Rollins : Kemp believed in a GOP `` big tent '' and encouraged minority participation . | [[4218, 4222], [4372, 4406]] |
JOHANNESBURG , South Africa -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- What do you say when you meet one of the most iconic statesmen in the world ? Mandela holds baby Freya as Robyn Curnow and her husband Kim look on . For someone who makes a living out of communications , I have consistently been tongue-tied around Nelson Mandela . The funny thing is I am not particularly star-struck -- as a CNN correspondent I get to interview and profile all sorts of `` famous '' people . It 's just a not a big deal for me . However , with Madiba -LRB- as Mandela is often called -RRB- , I feel like every moment spent with him is a gift , a blessing that I will tell my grandchildren about one day . As a South African he has a place in our hearts that is hard to define . However , my stories about my encounters with Nelson Mandela are the stuff of comedy clubs . I 've never quite managed to hold my own with him . I always land up somehow embarrassing myself when I am around him ; I 've slipped on shiny presidential floors , got tangled up in camera equipment and made pathetically inane comments . I first met Nelson Mandela in the early 1990s . I ca n't remember exactly when , but it was at the Wanderers cricket stadium in Johannesburg . He visited the VIP room , during a test match , where I was working during school vacations and everybody lined up to meet him . I stood proudly and waited my turn , he came over to me . He was tall . He said to me , `` You are so gracious , I am so humbled to meet you . '' I remember thinking , if Nelson Mandela thinks I am gracious -- fantastic . I promptly turned around and ungraciously tripped on my best shoes , tumbling into the crowd behind me . I was the one humbled . Years later , I was a young reporter working for the South African Broadcasting Corporation during Mandela 's presidency . I was n't senior enough to cover the big political stories of the day so news editors only assigned me the light hearted Mandela news stories . The one I remember most was around a birthday or Christmas during which there was a photo opportunity at one of his grandson 's kindergartens . Word had got out among the press that `` Twinkle twinkle little star '' was Madiba 's favorite nursery rhyme , so , of course , all the children sang it for him . I sang along too , twinkle-finger actions included , it 's a great song . Whether it was or not Madiba 's favorite , is not something I have ever asked him . Years after that , I was taking a sabbatical from journalism and spent a year studying for my Masters degree at Cambridge University . Mandela just happened to be an honorary fellow at Magdalene College , where I was studying . He came to visit that year , giving a speech in the college 's beautiful cloisters . I waved at him , as he passed by all of us students assembled in the quadrangle . Of course , he did n't wave back , but I felt gracious and humbled in his presence , protected by Magdalene 's great walls . And then I turned to my awe-struck friends and said , `` Did you know his favorite song is ` Twinkle Twinkle Little Star ? ' '' -- which kind of killed the moment . Fast forward a few more years , I reported on Mandela occasionally during my time as a correspondent at CNN London 's bureau . From a distance , I saw him get older and shakier on his feet . His hair got whiter and his public engagements lessened considerably . Once in while , I would regale my friends with Madiba 's stories -- yes , there are more -- like the time I sneaked into the bathroom in his presidential mansion , desperate for relief , before a long-delayed press conference and phoned a friend from within to ask whether it was morally right to steal some of Nelson Mandela 's soap . -LRB- I did n't . It is n't very gracious -RRB- . Or the time , I asked Zelda la Grange , his devoted personal assistant , to take a photo of me and Madiba together before I went up to Cambridge . He agreed and came over to me , throwing his arm around me and giving me squeeze a and joking , `` Ah , I am sure your boyfriend will be jealous . '' Did you know that Nelson Mandela is a terrible flirt ? Again , I became self-conscious . I was carrying my handbag over my shoulder and I did n't want the photo to look like I was Margaret Thatcher or my grandmother , for that matter , constantly clutching a handbag . So with his arm still firm around my middle , I bent down to put my handbag on the floor . That 's when Zelda took the photo ... unfortunately ; the automatic flash went off on my camera . That 's a complete no-no around Mandela -- his eyes were damaged during his years of imprisonment on Robben Island and flash photography is forbidden . So they whizzed away , slightly peeved , and I landed up with a `` Me and Mandela '' photograph that showed the president grinning into camera , holding me around the waist and me half bent over , lowering my handbag , with my head half cocked and eyes half closed . It was not mantelpiece material . I never thought I 'd meet him again , up close and personal , until , last year when Zelda , ever the diplomat , like her boss , invited to me to introduce my newly born daughter , Freya , to him . My husband Kim and I had just returned back to live in South Africa , after nearly six years away in London . It was oddly nerve-racking , and I did what I always do in his presence I acted incredibly gauche , stupid and clumsy . I kept on saying : `` So how are you ? '' As if he 'd offer me a glass of wine , and say , `` Ya know Robyn , my knees are killing me , I 'm bit worried about the situation in Zimbabwe and howz about them Mets ? '' I offered my baby to him , like a little sacrificial lamb . The pictures tell it all . The ones we sent to friends -LRB- and everybody we knew -RRB- , show us laughing with the world 's greatest statesman . The ones we did n't email to the world show our daughter freaking out and crying . Madiba tried to placate her by wagging a finger at her and telling her , `` I am your great great grandfather . '' She freaked out some more . I think she takes after her mother . | Curnow first met Mandela in 1990 and has encountered him several times . Meetings usually ended less than graciously for Curnow . Last encounter saw Mandela trying placate Curnow 's upset daughter . | [[1075, 1122]] |
Rio de Janeiro , Brazil -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Electricity returned early Wednesday to a large swath of central and southern Brazil that was plunged into darkness when power from a major hydroelectric dam was lost . Up to 18 of Brazil 's 26 states were left without power when electricity from the Itaipu dam was interrupted around 10:15 p.m. -LRB- 7:15 p.m. ET -RRB- Tuesday , leaving Sao Paulo , Rio de Janeiro and other cities in darkened chaos . Hundreds of people were trapped in elevators . Subways , trains and buses stopped running their routes . Video showed long snaking lines of cars at a near standstill on the roads , their headlights the only illumination . The outage also led to medical emergencies , with a report in Sao Paulo of neighbors having to rescue someone who breathes with the help of a ventilator but the back-up battery was running low . Police also reported increased robberies and looting related to the blackout . Authorities in Rio de Janeiro and other cities stepped up enforcement . Officials said up to 60 million of Brazil 's nearly 200 million residents were pitched into darkness . `` I thought , ` How is this happening ? ' '' said Rio de Janeiro resident Wesley Ferreira . `` All of Copacabana is black . '' Power was restored to most of Brazil by 6 a.m. -LRB- 3 a.m. ET -RRB- , the government-run Agencia Brasil news agency said . But some water-treatment plants remained affected Wednesday . Authorities in Sao Paulo reported that 3 million residents in the metropolitan area remained without water , down from a previous 6.7 million . Sao Paulo is the largest municipality in South America , with about 11 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 20 million in the metro area . The Itaipu dam , one of the world 's largest hydroelectric facilities , is shared by Brazil and Paraguay , which also lost power . Neighboring Uruguay also reported outages . Itaipu provides more than 19 percent of Brazil 's energy and 87 percent of Paraguay 's , Agencia Brasil said . The outage affected 18 states , the UOL Noticias news outlet said , citing Brazil 's minister of mines and energy , Edison Lobao . The states of Sao Paulo , Mato Grosso do Sul , Rio de Janeiro and Espirito Santo went totally dark , while Minas Gerais , Mato Grosso , Goias , Rio Grande do Sul , Santa Catarina , Parana , Acre , Rondonia , Bahia , Sergipe , Paraiba , Alagoas , Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Norte were partially affected . The Federal District in which Brasilia , the nation 's capital , is located also had outages . As a point of reference as to how widespread the blackout was , it is about 2,000 miles from the southern tip of Santa Catarina to the northern tip of Pernambuco . Jorge Samek , the director general of the agency that runs the dam , said the blackouts were caused by a failure in the Brazilian power delivery system , not the hydroelectric plant at the dam . Officials said three transmission lines went out . Officials said they had not determined an official cause for the power failure , but pointed at the weather . They discounted any type of sabotage . `` Apparently , according to information that we have , it was because of meteorological conditions that were pretty adverse , with strong winds and strong rain at the same time , '' Lobao said . Some experts agreed that the electric system should not collapse because of a storm . `` There is a problem , '' said Luiz Pinguelli , director of the Post-Graduate Engineering Center at the Rio de Janeiro Federal University . `` And you ca n't say under any circumstances that this is due to nature . There is a transmission problem , and the worst part of it is the dimension it takes . That is to say , an accident that can tumble one line is always possible . But for the power to go out in so many cities for such a long time , that should n't happen . '' Some residents blamed a sudden surge in electricity use as Brazil , which is in the Southern Hemisphere , enters spring and the weather gets warmer . `` Those responsible for the energy supply do not perceive that the weather is changing and that there 's a lot of hot weather in the spring , '' said Rio resident Pabla de Visconti . `` Summer promises to be hot , and everyone is turning on air-conditioners and fans . '' The nation 's ability to handle basic utilities concerns some officials as Brazil prepares to host the World Cup in 2014 and the Summer Olympics two years later . `` I always say that Brazil is a country that is growing much , that everyone takes pride in , that is talked about favorably in the rest of the world , but that has a Third World infrastructure , '' said Adriano Pires , director of the Brazilian Center for Infrastructure . `` When we have consumption peaks , there are blackouts . If the government does not invest in infrastructure , the problems will be more serious each time . It will lead to the strangulation of economic growth and could embarrass the country in events like the World Cup and the Olympics . '' CNN 's Alessandra Castelli and journalists Fabiana Frayssinet and Lucrecia Franco contributed to this report . | Electricity returns to central and southern Brazil after power from major hydroelectric dam was lost . Neighboring Paraguay , Uruguay report related blackouts . Hydroelectric dam provides over 20 percent of Brazil 's energy . | [[43, 127], [1851, 1870], [1876, 1894]] |
-LRB- Mental Floss -RRB- -- We remember Henry Ford as the automotive magnate who perfected assembly line technology , but he also dabbled in ambitious social programs , including one in which he hired ex-convicts straight out of Sing Sing to staff his factories . Henry Ford , pictured in 1942 , unsuccessfully attempted to increase the rubber supply with a plantation in Brazil . Although many of these efforts were successful , Ford 's ill-fated foray into the Brazilian jungle was a notable and fascinating exception . The plan . If you 're going to make millions of cars , you 're going to need an awful lot of rubber . In 1927 , Ford came up with a novel plan : He 'd solve his rubber problem and test out his lofty theories about social planning . If everything went well , he could craft both a utopia full of healthy , productive workers and a direct pipeline of coveted rubber to Detroit . Ford approached the task with characteristic zeal . He talked the Brazilian government into granting him 10,000 square kilometers of land in the Amazon rain forest -- a plot that was nearly twice as big as the state of Delaware -- in exchange for a 9 percent cut of the plantation 's profits . In theory , this setup seemed like one of Ford 's ideas that would shake out pretty well , and in 1928 , Ford sent a barge full of supplies from Michigan down to his new plantation town , which was dubbed `` Fordlandia . '' Growing rubber in the jungle . Unfortunately for Ford 's stockholders , though , the captain of industry did n't always have a great eye for detail . -LRB- One famous story about Ford was that he disliked accountants so fiercely that he never had his company audited . By the end of his tenure , the Ford Motor Company allegedly had no idea exactly how much it cost to build a car . -RRB- . Ford did n't check to see if the plantation was suitable for growing rubber . According to Greg Grandin , author of `` Fordlandia : The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford 's Forgotten Jungle City , '' Ford never consulted any sort of expert on rubber cultivation ; he just sent a bunch of supplies and managers into the jungle hoping to grow some rubber . Mental Floss : Henry Ford and others who survived bankruptcy . Ford was legendarily contemptuous of experts , but he could have saved some serious dough if he 'd just hired a consultant to tell him that the plantation was n't at all suitable for growing rubber . The land was n't very fertile , but that was n't the main problem . The real difficulty was that it 's practically impossible to farm rubber in a plantation setting in the Amazon rainforest . To grow the trees on a commercial scale , you 've got to pack them in fairly close together , and at that point they become incredibly susceptible to blight and insect attacks . Fordlandia 's trees were no exception , and caterpillars and blight quickly decimated the fields . Not exactly a worker 's paradise . Obviously , the rubber production part of the Fordlandia got off to a rocky start . How was the `` worker 's paradise '' part of things going , though ? Even more abysmally . The American managers and their families that Ford imported from Michigan were n't accustomed to the sweltering Brazilian heat and headed back north with an alarming frequency . The heavy machinery used on the plantation left deep ruts in the soft soil , which collected stagnant water and became breeding grounds for malaria-ridden mosquitoes . Ford had attempted to design Fordlandia like any American town , complete with schools , restaurants , a golf course , and shops . The catch here , though , was that the indigenous Brazilians who farmed the rubber were n't used to living in a stylized American community . Worse still , the plantation 's workers were expected to work a strict shift from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. , whereas normal harvesting practices in the region saw workers hit the fields before dawn , take a long break , and then head out again at twilight to save themselves the misery of working in the tropical midday heat . Food fights . Ford 's influence extended all the way down to the residents ' diets , and while the indigenous workers were n't crazy about having to eat American foods , they were livid about having to eat in a cafeteria setting rather than enjoying the homestyle meals to which they were accustomed . Eventually , the workers decided they 'd had enough of the affront of cafeteria dining and rioted during a meal . Mental Floss : Three historical food fights . As the American managers fled to the safety of boats , the workers destroyed their mess hall and continued to riot until Brazilian soldiers came in to suppress violence . Another sticking point for the workers was Ford 's insistence that his model community be entirely free of alcohol and tobacco . Although Prohibition was n't exactly an unqualified success at home , and although alcohol was still legal in Brazil , Ford stayed firm on his booze ban . Workers who needed a drink were forced just outside the city limits to buy a bottle of cachaca ; enterprising liquor salesman could simply paddle by on the river and unload their wares . Mental Floss : Why is the drinking age 21 ? End of the road . Eventually , even though Henry Ford steadfastly insisted that the community could thrive and help introduce American-style industrialization to the rest of the world , it became abundantly clear that the noble Fordlandia experiment was a flop . After the perfection of synthetic rubber in 1945 , Ford sold the plantation at a $ 20 million loss and left Brazil . Just how much of a fiasco was the Fordlandia experiment ? Although Ford spent 17 years trying to produce rubber on the plantation , no Ford car ever rolled off the assembly line with a single bit of Fordlandia 's rubber in it . For more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright , Mental Floss LLC . All rights reserved . | The auto magnate set up a plantation in the Amazon rain forest to produce rubber . He did n't research the land and found out to late it was n't suitable for growing rubber . Brazilian workers rioted against U.S.-style mess hall , ban on alcohol . Ford ultimately sold the plantation at a $ 20 million loss . | [[264, 274], [296, 380], [1417, 1447], [2066, 2068], [2117, 2156], [2517, 2519], [2546, 2611], [1808, 1885], [2313, 2419], [4339, 4349], [4352, 4452], [5448, 5496], [5499, 5546]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The United States successfully tested a sea-based component of its missile defense shield Thursday evening , intercepting a ballistic missile with a dummy warhead over the Pacific Ocean , the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said . A dummy missile is launched from a ship during a 2008 test of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Program . The exercise was the 19th successful test in 23 attempts of the system -- known as the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Program -- since 2002 . A target missile was fired from Hawaii about 5:40 p.m. -LRB- 11:40 p.m. ET -RRB- and was tracked by Navy ships hundreds of miles away . The USS Hopper , one of three Navy ships tracking the launch , fired an interceptor missile , which struck the target about 100 miles above the Earth . The process -- from launch to shoot-down -- took less than five minutes , according to the U.S. military . The United States plans to use the sea-based system on Navy Aegis-class ships to protect against incoming short - to medium-range missiles fired from hostile countries . Eighty-six of the ships eventually will have the capability . Another part of the missile defense protection -- ground-based midcourse defense -- is designed to strike at long-range missiles . Both the sea-based and ground-based systems are part of the Pentagon 's `` layered '' missile defense plan . Much of the missile defense program is still under development , including lasers fired from a plane that the military hopes would destroy an enemy missile during launch . Other parts of the missile defense would fire short-range missiles at incoming warheads that are close to hitting their targets . Over the past seven years , the U.S. military has spent billions of dollars on the missile defense program . Pentagon officials have said that each missile defense test costs about $ 85 million . | Ship-based system shoots down dummy missile from hundreds of miles away . Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense has 19 successful tests in 23 tries , agency says . More than 80 U.S. Navy ships eventually will be equipped with system . | [[0, 15], [19, 125], [0, 15], [128, 204], [354, 424], [1062, 1123]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thierry Henry could face FIFA disciplinary action over his handball which helped France to qualify for the finals of the 2010 World Cup at the expense of Ireland . FIFA president Sepp Blatter told reporters in Cape Town that the Barcelona striker 's `` blatant unfair play '' could land him in hot water . `` The FIFA disciplinary committee will open an investigation ... concerning the behavior of the player Thierry Henry , '' he said . `` It was blatant unfair play and was seen all around the world . I do n't know the outcome of the disciplinary committee , let them make the decision . `` Fair play must be maintained in our game . '' Blatter was speaking after an extraordinary meeting of the FIFA executive committee , which was convened to consider the refereeing controversy in the France - Ireland match , incidents surrounding the Algeria - Egypt playoff tie and matchfixing in Europe . It had been widely trailed that the FIFA executive would sanction the use of two extra officials behind both goal lines in World Cup . But Blatter said that the finals in South Africa was too soon to introduce the system which has been used in the second-tier European club tournament this year . `` The experiments with the Europa League shall go on into the knockout stages next year but it has been decided , for the World Cup 2010 , there is no change in the refereeing : one referee , two assistants and a fourth official . '' He went on to say that there would be further investigation into both video technology and additional referees . `` We shall have a look at technology or additional persons and this shall be done by a committee but not the referees committee alone , it will be done by the football , technical and medical committees , too , '' he added . Ireland were denied a place in the finals by a goal that should have been disallowed because Henry used his hand to control the ball before setting up William Gallas to score the aggregate decider in the second leg in the Stade de France . Ireland subsequently launched two appeals , the first for the match to be replayed , the second for them to be added to the line-up for the finals as the 33rd team . Both have been rejected , but Blatter was forced to apologize to the Irish for making public their supposedly private bid to be included as an extra team . Blatter put their request into the public domain in light-hearted comments made in Johannesburg , which left Irish football officials infuriated and insulted . `` I would like to express my regrets for the wrong interpretation of what I said . I regret what I have created and I 'm sorry to the Ireland football confederation for these headlines going around the world , '' he said . `` It 's a pity I communicated in this way . Sorry again . '' | Thierry Henry face disciplinary action over his handball in World Cup playoff match . FIFA president Sepp Blatter says their disciplinary committee will investigate . FIFA rules out use of extra officials or video technology at the finals . Blatter apologizes to Irish officials for comments made over their request to be 33rd team . | [[19, 86], [325, 388], [1623, 1697], [2225, 2316], [2514, 2594]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tillakaratne Dilshan scored his sixth Test century of a remarkable year to give Sri Lanka a fine start to the third match of their series against India in Mumbai on Wednesday . Dilshan made 109 as Sri Lanka , seeking a win to level the series at 1-1 , closed on 366 for eight wickets on the opening day . All-rounder Angelo Mathews was closing on his first Test century with an unbeaten 86 on a wicket offering turn and bounce , but was rapidly running out of partners to the second new ball . India , who won the second Test in Kanpur last week by a crushing innings and 144 runs , will take over from South Africa as the top-ranked Test team in the world if they can win the series 2-0 . Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh claimed four victims and slow left-armer Pragyan Ojha two but Dilshan proved a formidable opponent . He continued his superb 2009 with 10 boundaries and two sixes to reach three figures for the 11th time in Tests . He made 112 in the high-scoring draw in the first Test in Ahmedabad . Dilshan put on 93 in 20 overs for the first wicket with Tharanga Paranavitana , who made 53 . before becoming Harbhajan 's first victim just before lunch . India claimed three wickets in the afternoon as Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara went cheaply with Mahela Jayawardene adding 59 for the third wicket before falling victim to paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth . Harbhajan had Thilan Samaraweera caught in the leg-trap for one just before the tea interval . Mathews and Dilshan put Sri Lanka back on top again in the final session with a 74 stand which was ended when the opener was given out caught at short-leg off Harbhajan , with TV replays indicating he was unlucky . Prasanna Jayawardene made 43 in a sixth-wicket stand of 67 with Mathews , but he Nuwan Kulasekara and Rangana Herath fell in quick succession as India hit back again . | Tillakaratne Dilshan scores sixth Test century of 2009 for Sri Lanka . Opener helps his side to 366 for eight on first day against India in Mumbai . Harbhajan Singh takes four wickets to lead Indian attack on helpful wicket . | [[19, 90], [196, 225], [73, 74], [91, 195], [196, 203], [271, 323], [709, 794]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thousands of Opel workers went on strike in Germany on Thursday in protest at the decision by U.S. parent General Motors to abandon the sale of the automaker . GM shocked German public officials when it announced earlier this week its decision to keep its European Opel and Vauxhall units and cancel a planned sale to Canadian firm Magna . If Magna had bought GM 's European operations thousands would have lost their jobs in Spain and at Vauxhall plants in Britain . After the announcement there were celebrations in Britain but fury in Germany , where thousands of workers fear they will face the axe . `` We want Opel to continue to exist , '' Hesse state Premier Roland Koch -- one of the biggest lobbyists for a sale to Magna and its Russian partner Sberbank -- told rallying workers at Opel headquarters in Ruesselsheim on Thursday , according to Reuters.com . `` We will have to fight again with the goal of saving jobs . '' GM announced a restructuring plan for Opel that would include cuts of as many as 10,000 jobs at the European subsidiary . About half of Opel 's 50,000 workers are based in Germany . The U.S. car giant confirmed in a statement to CNN that its revised viability plan for Opel `` will likely include cuts in that range . '' Jürgen Rüttgers , premier of North Rhine-Westphalia state , where GM proposes closing a factory , told the Financial Times : `` General Motors ' behaviour shows the ugly face of turbo-capitalism . That is completely unacceptable . '' German Opel workers reject GM 's restructuring plan for the company , which they believe will see a drain of vehicle development from Germany to the United States , Lorenz said . Employees in Germany are not only unwilling to accept pay cuts moving forward , but they will also demand to be paid for concessions they have made , like giving up a scheduled pay rise in May , their 2008 Christmas bonus , and vacation pay for 2009 , Lorenz said . GM promised to work with all the European labor unions on a plan for Opel 's restructuring . The GM board of directors said an improving business environment over the past few months and the importance of Opel and its British brand , Vauxhall , to GM 's global strategy were reasons to retain Opel . The board said it would begin restructuring its European operations `` in earnest '' instead , according to a news release issued late Tuesday . GM 's decision is a setback for Magna , which agreed to purchase Opel and Vauxhall in September in a deal brokered by German Chancellor Angela Merkel . General Motors said in March that it wanted to sell Opel after it reported an annual loss of $ 30.9 billion for 2008 . Opel , together with Vauxhaull , is the fourth-largest car brand in Europe after Volkswagen , Ford , and Renault . It is also GM 's largest-selling brand in Europe by far , representing more than 70 percent of GM 's European sales . While GM 's decision may still mean layoffs as it restructures its European businesses , it may safeguard jobs in the short-term . Employees at the Vauxhall plant in Ellesmere Port , England , welcomed the news . `` I think it 's a good idea , really , because a lot of people will have jobs , '' one employee told Sky News . `` We 've had a three-day week now for ages , '' said another man . `` We 've lost money , so now we 're going to start getting some back . '' The head of the Unite union , which represents Vauxhall workers , said he was `` absolutely delighted '' that GM will retain ownership of the brand . `` GM was once the biggest company in the world and we have no reason to believe that it can not restructure itself to address its present difficulties , '' Unite Joint General Secretary Tony Woodley said . `` My worry is that they would be forced to spin off their UK business to Magna , which simply does not have the expertise to run a global car company . '' CNN 's Fred Pleitgen in Berlin , Germany , contributed to this report . | Opel workers in Germany strike Thursday over GM 's decision to abandon sale of automaker . GM 's Opel restructuring plan could eliminate as many as 10,000 jobs . U.S. parent company says improving business environment behind its decision not to sell Opel . GM said in March it wanted to sell Opel after reporting losses of $ 30.9 billion . | [[0, 15], [45, 178], [179, 181], [312, 358], [951, 993], [985, 993], [999, 1072], [1189, 1268], [2044, 2182], [2548, 2666], [2582, 2666]] |
Fort Hood , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The suspect in last week 's deadly shooting spree at Fort Hood urged in 2007 that Muslims in the U.S. Army be allowed to claim conscientious objector status when it comes to fighting other Muslims in war , a defense official said Tuesday . Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan also discussed religious aspects of Islam during a presentation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as part of a final project for his residency tenure , said the official , who has knowledge of the investigation into Hasan . `` It 's getting harder and harder for Muslims in the service to morally justify being in a military that seems constantly engaged against fellow Muslims , '' Hasan said , according to a slide show that The Washington Post said Hasan used in the June 2007 presentation . `` Muslims -LSB- sic -RSB- soldiers should not serve in any capacity that renders them at risk to hurting/killing believers unjustly , '' a Hasan slide said , though he added that individual feelings `` will vary ! '' Hasan is the only suspect in the shooting at the Fort Hood Army post in Texas on Thursday that left 13 people dead and 42 wounded . Twelve of the dead were soldiers . Hasan remains in intensive care at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio , Texas , after having been shot by a police officer . Dr. Val Finnell , a former medical school classmate of Hasan 's , described him as `` a very outspoken opponent of the war '' in the classroom and in public settings . `` He equated the war against terror with a war against Islam , '' Finnell said . He added that he was shocked by Thursday 's shooting . `` However , that said , given the things that Maj. Hasan has said to me in the past and to other people , I am not surprised . '' Hasan 's comments came in what was supposed to be a medical seminar , The Washington Post reported , but instead he spoke to senior Army doctors about Islam . Hasan , a psychiatrist , aimed to describe `` religious conflicts that Muslims may have with the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan , '' according to the newspaper 's report . The report is based on a slideshow that The Washington Post said Hasan used in the June 2007 presentation . See the presentation and the Post 's report . In a statement issued Monday night , the FBI said its investigation `` indicates that the alleged gunman acted alone and was not part of a broader terrorist plot . '' Hasan came under investigation for a time last year when his communications with radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki were intercepted by terrorism investigators monitoring the cleric 's communications , a federal law enforcement official said . An employee of the Defense Department 's Criminal Investigative Services , assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force , ultimately made the decision to drop the investigation after reviewing the intercepted communications and Hasan 's personnel files . However , a senior defense department official said late Tuesday that the agency was not aware of any such communication . `` Contrary to reports we have seen in some news outlets , based on what we know now , neither the United States Army nor any other organization within the Department of Defense knew of Major Hasan 's contacts with any Muslim extremists , '' the official said . `` Not until after the tragic shooting at Fort Hood last week were Major Hasan 's e-mail communications first brought to our attention by federal investigators . '' President Obama traveled to Fort Hood for a memorial service on Tuesday for the victims of the shooting . Defense Secretary Robert Gates , Texas Gov. Rick Perry and other dignitaries also attended the service . Read profiles of the shooting victims . Hasan , 39 , was wounded several times during the attack . His ventilator was removed over the weekend , and he began talking afterward , hospital spokesman Dewey Mitchell said . Federal agents attempted to interview Hasan on Sunday , but he refused to cooperate and asked for an attorney , according to senior investigative officials , who insisted they not be identified by name because of the sensitive nature of the ongoing federal investigation . Hasan has retained a lawyer , ex-military judge and retired Army Col. John Galligan , the attorney told CNN affiliate KXXV-TV . `` Like anybody that 's facing criminal charges in the military arena , he 's entitled to a defense counsel , '' Galligan told the station . Galligan said he had a 25-minute conversation with Hasan , and the two did not talk much about the Fort Hood shooting . `` There 's still a lot to be done on the medical side , '' Galligan said . Hasan , a U.S.-born citizen of Palestinian descent , was a licensed psychiatrist who joined the Army in 1997 . He was promoted to major in May and was scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan sometime soon but had been telling his family since 2001 that he wanted to get out of the military . Hasan , a Muslim , also told his family that he had been taunted after the terrorist attacks of September 11 . In August , he reported to police that his car was keyed and a bumper sticker that read `` Allah is Love '' was torn off . A neighbor was charged with criminal mischief after that complaint . | Official : Let Muslims be conscientious objectors , Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan said . Former classmate says Hasan opposed war on terror . Hasan remains in intensive care , has reportedly retained lawyer . | [[0, 33], [90, 193], [1181, 1257], [3940, 3989], [4153, 4200]] |
Atlanta , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Want to boost your spending power ? Try giving your wallet a break by shopping at a dollar store . Americans have embraced the four leading chains -- Dollar General , Family Dollar , Dollar Tree and the 99 cents Only store -- in droves during the recession . This year , Dollar General 's sales were up almost 10 percent quarter-over-quarter , and they 're opening 450 new stores , according to The New York Times . Dollar Tree , meanwhile , planned to open 235 new stores this year . And Family Dollar 's early 2009 numbers pointed to sales being up 6.5 percent year-over-year . But despite the booming sales , Consumer Reports ' Money Adviser has taken a close look at this hot retail segment and found that not everything is a deal . Before I tell you what they say to stock up on and what to pass on , I want to clarify something . There are important distinctions to note among the chains . Dollar General and Family Dollar both price the majority of their items at $ 1 , but they also offer some merchandise at higher price points . Dollar Tree and the 99 cents Only chain are the only true dollar stores where everything is $ 1 , with no exceptions . So what did Consumer Reports find ? Cotton rounds , gift wrap , birthday candles , paper bags , composition notebooks , plastic cups , security envelopes , napkins , foam plates and tissue paper are among the best deals . Yet they advised against buying jewelry -LRB- too much lead content -RRB- , electrical products -LRB- possibly fake UL labels -RRB- , medication -LRB- expired products -RRB- and vitamins -LRB- probably not to be from reputable sellers -RRB- at any dollar stores . Now , I 've routinely bought medication like ibuprofen at dollar stores and have not found it to be past expiration date . Of course , some would argue that I can get a better deal on ibuprofen at a warehouse club . But unless you 're in constant pain , who can use all those 12 million pills in the bulk container before they expire ?! The research that Consumer Reports did reminded me of a similar report in Good Housekeeping several years ago . At that time , the women 's magazine compared four knockoff products from the dollar stores versus four brand name products purchased elsewhere . The products included generic glass cleaner , body lotion , dishwashing liquid and detergent . The brand name products were Windex , Lubriderm , Dawn and Tide , and they proved to better than their generic counterparts . For example , a teaspoon of Dawn washed 19 dishes , while a teaspoon of the dollar brand washed only six ! As for the detergent , the dollar brand failed to wash out a mustard stain that Tide did . So the message is , let the buyer beware at the dollar stores . Certainly , there are some deals to be had , but you 've got to be picky . | Recession has boosted spending at dollar stores . Cotton rounds , gift wrap , birthday candles among the best deals . Not all dollar stores are equal ; some have more expensive items . Some knockoff products from dollar stores failed tests against brand names . | [[1231, 1244], [1247, 1256], [1231, 1416], [1018, 1022], [1028, 1075]] |
Editor 's note : Kevin Pho , a primary care physician in Nashua , N.H. , blogs at KevinMD.com . Dr. Kevin Pho says health reform ca n't succeed as long as there 's a shortage of primary care doctors . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When President Obama recently cited the number of Americans without health insurance , he declared that , `` We are not a nation that accepts nearly 46 million uninsured men , women , and children . '' Uninsured patients often delay preventive care , waiting to seek medical attention only when their conditions worsen . This leads to more intensive treatment , often in the emergency department or hospital where costs run the highest . Universal health coverage is therefore a sensible goal , and the reforms being considered all make considerable effort to provide everyone with affordable health care . But expanding coverage can not succeed as long as there remains a shortage of primary care clinicians . After all , what good is having health insurance if you ca n't find a doctor to see you ? Massachusetts is often held out as a model for national health reform , and the bills being considered in Washington emulate much of that state 's 2006 landmark universal coverage law . As a physician in neighboring New Hampshire , I have had the opportunity to observe the effect of the Massachusetts reforms . Today , 97 percent of Massachusetts residents have health insurance , the highest in the country . But less publicized are the unintended consequences that the influx of half a million newly insured patients has had on an unprepared primary care system . The Massachusetts Medical Society reported that the average wait time for a new patient looking for a primary care doctor ranged from 36 to 50 days , with almost half of internal medicine physicians closing their doors entirely to new patients . And when you consider that Massachusetts already has the highest concentration of doctors nationwide , wait times will likely be worse in other , less physician-abundant parts of the country , should universal coverage be enacted federally . When patients are forced to wait weeks to obtain medical care , they inevitably find their way into the emergency department for treatment that ordinarily can be handled in a doctor 's office . Indeed , since health reform was passed , according to state data provided to the Boston Globe , Massachusetts emergency rooms have reported a 7 percent increase in volume , which markedly inflates costs when you consider that emergency room treatment can be up to 10 times more expensive than an office visit for the same ailment . Alwyn Cassil , a spokeswoman for the nonpartisan Center for Studying Health System Change , told HealthDay News that expanding coverage without improving access to care is a `` recipe for failure , '' as well as unsustainable , `` because it will just bankrupt us . '' Massachusetts is finding out just how difficult it is to fiscally maintain universal coverage . In part due to soaring health costs , the state Legislature has proposed reducing health benefits for 30,000 legal immigrants and cutting funding to inner-city hospitals like Boston Medical Center , which , according to the Boston Globe , may `` force it to slash programs and jeopardize care for thousands of poverty-stricken families . '' The success of universal health coverage depends on an adequate supply of primary care providers . But the Association of American Medical Colleges is forecasting a shortage of 46,000 primary care physicians by 2025 , a deficit that not only will balloon under any universal coverage measure , but can not be made up as doctors , nurse practitioners and physician assistants all gravitate towards more lucrative specialty practice . It 's not only the financial incentives that need to substantially change for primary care to prosper . More important , the working conditions for the physicians already in the field have to improve . A recent survey in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that roughly half of primary care doctors reported practicing in a work environment `` strongly associated with low physician satisfaction , high stress ... and -LSB- an -RSB- intent to leave . '' Primary care clinicians routinely face unreasonable time pressures , a chaotic work pace , and bureaucratic impediments . Onerous paperwork requirements that obstruct patient care have to be reduced . And instead of the current system which encourages doctors to rush through as many office visits as possible , physicians who take the time to counsel , guide , and address all of their patients ' concerns should be rewarded . Better valuing the doctor-patient relationship will increase satisfaction , not only for physicians , but for their patients as well . Such solutions , however , have been largely absent from the health reform conversation . Although it is a moral imperative for every American to have access to health insurance , alleviating the shortage of primary care providers is of equal importance . The prospect of suddenly adding tens of millions of patients to an overburdened primary care system has the potential to make the already dire state of American health care even worse . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Kevin Pho . | Kevin Pho : It 's important to extend coverage to the uninsured . He says reform ca n't work if there are n't enough doctors to care for all . Pho says Massachusetts is finding it ca n't provide care to those newly covered . Pho : Adding tens of millions of patients could strain system . | [[96, 200], [115, 200], [831, 917], [3309, 3407], [1436, 1587], [5017, 5116], [5017, 5202]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When she heard news of the Continental Airlines plane that plunged into a house in suburban Buffalo , New York , on Thursday night , killing 50 people , Jenny Gomez experienced a familiar feeling creep deep within her psyche . `` It definitely sparked those old feelings of anxiety , '' she said . The risk of dying in a jet crash has been estimated to be one in 70 million , according to an MIT analysis . Gomez , 31 and a mother of two , was never afraid to fly during her childhood and early adolescence . `` I had flown all my life since I was very small , getting on a plane to visit my grandparents at least a couple of times a year , and I was fine , '' she remembered . Then , in her late adolescence , the panicky feelings began , slowly at first , but then the anxiety and nervousness started to snowball . `` Every bump , every shake of the plane would set me off . '' Finally , during a college psychology class , she realized she fit the classic criteria for someone with a fear of flying , also known as aviophobia or aviatophobia . For five years , Gomez avoided flying altogether . `` I missed out on some really cool things in my life back then because I would n't get on an airplane , '' she said . An estimated 10 percent to 25 percent of the U.S. population experiences the phobia of flying , according to the American Psychological Association . View a timeline of recent notable crashes '' In contrast , the risk of dying in a domestic jet crash has been estimated to be one in 70 million , according to MIT statistician Arnold Barnett , who has performed statistical analyses for the Federal Aviation Administration . Among the causes for aviatophobia is what many will experience as a result of seeing reports about the crash near Buffalo : vicarious trauma . This is trauma that one observes and subsequently develops within based on that observation . `` They see it , and they imagine what would that be like if it happened to me , '' said anxiety disorder psychologist R. Reid Wilson . By focusing on the possibility instead of the actual probability of the plane crashing , someone who 's vulnerable to such fears can grow even more anxious about flying , he said . The fear of flying constitutes one of the two most common fears humans grapple with -LRB- the other one being fear of public speaking -RRB- , said Wilson , who served as lead psychologist for American Airlines ' first national program for fear of flying . Gomez 's development of the phobia later in life is not unusual either , Wilson said ; the average age of onset is 27 , which is relatively old compared with when most other phobias begin . Some people who are subject to vicarious trauma actually see the crash scene in the media and actively put themselves in the scenario . Wilson has seen patients who fixate on visualizing themselves in the plane and who go so far as to seek out information such as how long the plane fell through the sky so they can intensify the reality of the experience in their minds . `` They get wrapped up in what is actually happening . Your body reacts to what you 're seeing , '' he said . Another cause of the condition is the perception of a non-dangerous event -- such as turbulence or normal sounds that planes make -- as being an actual threat to one 's safety . Many people afraid to fly actually have panic disorder , which is an anxiety disorder characterized by unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms . Having what Wilson refers to as a `` constellation of other fears '' could also contribute to the phobia of flying ; claustrophobia , fear of death and being afraid of turning control over to the pilot could all contribute to the ultimate fear of the not-so-friendly skies . Visit CNNhealth.com , your connection for better living . Overcoming the fear of flying begins with a solid trust in the aviation industry and the ability of the plane , the pilot and everyone involved in the safety of the flight to be competent . `` If it 's about someone else , then you have no control , but if you shift your feelings of fear to yourself , then you can do something about it , '' Wilson said . Relaxation , meditation and breathing skills can improve the chances of surmounting one 's distress . Distractions , such as having someone to talk to on the plane or focusing on an engrossing book , can also work to ease the tension . However , changing one 's mind about the extreme unlikelihood that something would go wrong is key ; relaxation and distractions serve as additional support systems . A licensed mental health professional can aid individuals seeking help to beat the fear of flying . Hypnotism can work too , especially when administered by someone trained in anxiety disorders . Virtual reality therapy , wherein a helmet is worn to simulate the experience of flying , has also been proved an effective technique , but the institutions providing virtual reality therapies are few and far between . In 2005 , Gomez reached a crossroads . Her new job description would require her to travel frequently . A licensed counselor herself , she knew she could avail the services of a specialist to help her get past her fears . Perhaps the most useful part of her course of therapy , she reveals , was developing an understanding of the science behind aviation . `` If I was sitting in the cockpit , I would have had no problems at all . It 's the lack of control , sitting in the back of the plane , that would get to me , so when I learned what all the sounds were and how unlikely it would be that the plane would actually fall out of the sky , that 's what really helped me . '' Another aid that worked for Gomez was Xanax , a drug often prescribed by doctors to provide temporary relief from the stress of flying . Working as a mild tranquilizer , Xanax , Valium and other benzodiazepine class drugs do not remove the underlying fear but instead work to dull the sensations . When Gomez finally started to fly again , she began with Xanax , a glass of wine and a meditation CD that she would listen to during the entire flight . Her anxiety progressively subsided over the course of a year and a half of regular flying for work . `` With each successful flight , I would need less and less help from the pills or the wine , '' she said . Finally , she let go of the medication and alcohol altogether and allowed her sense of trust to keep her calm . | 10 percent to 25 percent of the U.S. population experiences the phobia of flying . Fear can be exacerbated by watching reports of other crashes . Average age of onset of such phobias is 27 . Relaxation , meditation , breathing skills can improve the chances of beating fear . | [[1236, 1329], [1236, 1296], [1332, 1385], [19, 72], [172, 245], [1660, 1781], [2660, 2749], [2543, 2554], [2557, 2587], [4198, 4299], [4198, 4242], [4270, 4299]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For 8-year-old Ryan Mohar , an elevator is n't just an elevator . He spends hours pressing the buttons and riding up and down , preferring this to the slew of alternatives that his teachers offer -- even candy . Ryan Mohar , who has autism , gets treated with ABA approaches at the Marcus Autism Center . Ryan is one of many American children with autism , a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive behaviors or limited interests , and difficulties with communication and social interactions . At the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta , Georgia , Ryan and other children with communication and behavior difficulties get help through a rigorous empirical method called Applied Behavior Analysis . `` Decades of research has shown that that is the treatment of choice , and results in the best gains in terms of skill acquisition and behavior problem reduction for kids with autism and other developmental disabilities , '' said Alice Shillingsburg , program coordinator of the center 's Language and Learning Clinic . The effectiveness and nature of ABA is particularly relevant as many parents fight for insurance companies to cover it and other autism treatments . The organization Autism Speaks has endorsed bills in 25 states that would require private health insurance policies to cover the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders for anyone under the age of 21 . The legislation would specifically be targeted at ABA and other structured autism therapies . Only eight states have autism insurance reform , according to Autism Speaks . While ABA encompasses a broad range of practices of studying and changing behavior , the one usually associated with autism is called discrete trial instruction . A trial consists of a cue , the opportunity to respond and a reward . Watch therapists using applied behavior analysis on Ryan '' For example , a therapist might try to teach a child who likes sweets to request candy . The trial gets repeated over and over so that the child learns that candy comes only as a result of the request . The clinicians at Marcus Autism Center carefully record how many trials the child successfully completes . Learn more about autism '' `` If suddenly they can emit some vocal response , and suddenly when they do that , candy appears -- someone delivers candy to them -- that 's a very powerful response for that child , '' said Nathan Call , director of Behavior Treatment Clinics at the Marcus Autism Center . Analysts examine progress based on such data at least once a day -- sometimes five or six times a day -- and will change the treatment plan if necessary . In Ryan 's case , a trial begins when his clinical specialist takes him near the elevator and asks him to hand over a card -- his way of requesting access to the elevator . If Ryan gives the card , he gets to go to the elevator , and that is the end of one trial . If he does not , his helpers walk him away , and a new trial begins . Experts working with Ryan hope that teaching him to ask for the things he enjoys -- elevator rides , elevator buttons -- will help him stop running away , which he does even at home . In fact , Ryan wears a GPS-equipped ankle bracelet so that police can track him if he gets far from home . ABA is very effective , but the term `` cure '' is inaccurate , experts said . Autism describes a broad range of characteristics , not an underlying cause , Call said . ABA techniques can produce significant behavior changes , however . `` The goal is not necessarily for the child to have hit all of their developmental milestones , necessarily , but rather it 's hopefully to get them to a point where they 're able to take advantage of a more typical or less restrictive educational environment , '' he said . Studies have shown that 60 percent of high-functioning children can lose their diagnosis of autism by age 8 by using ABA , according to the Kennedy Krieger Institute , a leading center in autism research and treatment in Baltimore , Maryland . Not everyone is so enthusiastic about ABA , however . Dr. Max Wiznitzer , associate professor of pediatric neurology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland , Ohio , cautions that the treatment should fit the child , and ABA may not work as well for some children as other types of therapy . An alternative approach is play-based therapy , whereby the therapist takes cues from the child rather than the other way around . For example , if a child is bouncing a ball , the therapist would take that as an opportunity to encourage the child to bounce the ball back to him or her , Wiznitzer said . One of the pioneers of ABA is Ivar Lovaas , a child psychologist who in the 1960s began investigating how to help children who injured themselves . His research showed that components of ABA could reduce these behaviors . The therapy has evolved since then , however . In the beginning , the approach to ABA was more dogmatic and `` cookie-cutter , '' Wiznitzer said . A child who cooperated got a reward , but a child who did not cooperate got a punishment such as yelling or a squirt of water . `` ABA in a classic sense is a very restricted , very limited program that has issues with the ability to generalize the learned skill outside of the ABA environment , '' he said . A family once told him that their child showed great restaurant manners -- but only in the basement , he said . Today , many analysts who use ABA as a guide go more with the flow of the needs of the child , he said . ABA is n't just for children with autism -- the methods have been used for people of all ages , with and without disabilities . Staff members at Marcus Autism Center try to help children use the skills they learn outside of the artificial environment of the classroom . `` They 're doing research here on finding the best way to create those moments where the child really needs information in order to complete a preferred task or to gain access to a preferred activity or a preferred outcome , '' Call said . Another criticism of ABA is that children become mechanical because they learn to have only one specific response for a given prompt in real life . Call 's response is that variability is just another behavior that can be taught , but noted that there are trade-offs . Parents have input in the decision to focus more on teaching a lot of different skills , rather than to teach several responses in any one situation . `` Oftentimes , the goal is to focus more on giving as many functional skills as possible to that child , so they can have as fulfilling a life as they can , '' Call said . ABA is extremely costly , however . For the behavior clinics , therapy sessions at Marcus Autism Center begin at $ 60 per hour , and go higher in price depending on the expert who is providing the treatment -- a session with someone with a master 's or doctorate may cost more . A person with autism costs society about $ 3.2 million over the course of his or her lifetime , according to a 2007 study in the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine . Direct medical costs for the first five years are , on average , about $ 35,000 , the study said . For children from non-English-speaking families , two staff members at Marcus Autism Center speak Spanish , and an outside translator can be brought in if necessary for other languages , said Chris Tullis , a clinical specialist . But the Association for Behavior Analysis International told CNN that it does not have any `` board-certified therapists '' in Atlanta who report speaking Spanish . As for Ryan , after only about two weeks at Marcus Autism Center , his screaming has come down from more than 200 times an hour to about 38 , Call said . `` It looks promising , but we 've got 10 more weeks to actually find out what 's really going to work the best with Ryan , '' Tullis said . | Applied behavior analysis is a rigorous empirical method to teach behaviors . Autism Speaks has endorsed bills in 25 states to make insurance cover ABA . Research : 60 percent of high-functioning kids can lose autism diagnosis with ABA . Five-year medical costs for children with autism , on average , about $ 35,000 . | [[541, 705], [678, 740], [1211, 1273], [1261, 1273], [1279, 1425], [3798, 3963], [7109, 7158], [7161, 7171]] |
This week in iReport we 're celebrating a couple anniversaries . It 's been 20 years since the world watched the Berlin Wall fall . And , that children 's television favorite `` Sesame Street '' turned the big 4-0 . Meanwhile , Hurricane Ida stormed ashore , slamming the Gulf Coast . We 've got all this and more in this week 's video wrap-up . Berlin Wall anniversary -- Twenty years ago this week , the Berlin Wall came tumbling down in a decisive moment in a revolution that ultimately ended decades of Communist rule and signaled the end of the Cold War . For many iReporters , the fall of the wall holds personal significance . They dug into their photo albums to share memories of this historic event . Bracing for Ida -- iReporters updated on preparations and conditions as Hurricane Ida approached the Gulf Coast . Two iReporters shared several photos of preparations in Pensacola Beach , Florida , including closed roads , sandbags and high tides , saying it `` packed a pretty good punch . '' Another in New Orleans compared the rising waters from Ida with those of Gustav last year . Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street ? -- The classic children 's television show ` Sesame Street ' turned 40 this week . CNN producers collaborated with iReporters to create a fun video alphabet that would make Jim Henson proud . iReporters of all ages also shared their memories of `` Sesame Street '' and how the show made an impact on their lives . | iReporters remember the fall of the Berlin Wall , 20 years later . The Gulf Coast braces for Hurricane Ida . ` Sesame Street ' celebrates 40 years . Tell your stories at CNN iReport . | [[65, 131], [561, 580], [583, 633], [216, 225], [228, 241], [259, 284], [710, 725], [729, 823], [132, 135], [143, 215], [1187, 1200], [1203, 1224]] |
KILLEEN , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Spc. Logan Burnette arrived at Fort Hood , Texas , a week ago Wednesday to prepare for an upcoming tour of Iraq . The following day , he , like all deploying soldiers , reported to the `` ready room '' on post to fill out final paperwork . However , what was to be another day of the mundane erupted into hell on Earth . Burnette heard shots , though that 's a sound to which soldiers grow accustomed . He had been hearing blanks for many months of training . But on November 5 at Fort Hood , he quickly understood that something was terribly wrong when he saw the blood -- crimson everywhere . `` Seeing bullet wounds in the back of a friend 's head , seeing friends grabbing their arms , and blood just everywhere . It 's a pretty hard thing to see , '' Burnette recalled . `` And not having any way to defend yourself . '' The gunman had been in the room for a while and had perfectly blended in with his Army combat uniform , his gold major rank emblazoned on his chest . No one had reason to pay him heed , Burnette said . When the madness began , the gunman popped up like a target at a shooting range . He just stood up and started firing methodically and with precision . He reloaded . And fired . Reloaded . And fired again . `` He was very swift , very tactical , '' said Burnette , sitting in a wheelchair at the Metroplex Adventist Hospital near Fort Hood , his left arm and hand bandaged . The mass shooting last week was the deadliest ever on a U.S. military base . Twelve soldiers and one civilian were killed ; more than 40 others were wounded . Fifteen soldiers remained hospitalized on Wednesday , four in intensive care , according to Fort Hood spokesman Col. James Rossi . They were victims of a soldier who turned on his own , authorities say . Burnette saw the laser sights on the gunman 's weapon . The shooter looked serious , intent . He screamed at the top of his lungs , `` Allahu akbar , '' which means ` God is great ' in Arabic . Burnette dropped to the floor , hugging the ground for dear life . His mind was spinning . What insanity was this ? `` Once I saw the blood , I realized I had to move , '' he said . `` I had to get out of there . '' Burnette began to stand up and noticed the gunman was pointing in his direction . He picked up a folding table next to him -- it was the heaviest object he could see -- and hurled it toward the shooter . He knew it would draw the gunman 's attention and divert his line of sight from others . Burnette said he was n't trying to play a hero . `` There are guys overseas doing more than what I did , '' he said . `` I just happened to be at a certain place at a certain time in the world and hopefully I made a difference . '' But that 's when he got hit . He took a round that pierced his hip on the left side and tore through his abdomen . `` After the hit , I fell down , not even realizing I had been hit , '' he said . `` As I tried to get back up , I was shot in the elbow on the left arm and ... the knuckle on the left pinky finger . '' He was like a wounded animal desperate to escape the hunter 's aim . `` He wanted to kill all of us , '' Burnette said . `` We were all unarmed . '' Burnette 's gut felt like a knife slicing through it . He could n't feel his leg . His left arm was numb , too . He stared at it and thought of those dummy arms that people buy at Halloween . `` Oh my God , '' he thought . `` This guy shot me . '' Burnette began moving with every ounce of strength he could muster and hid in a nearby cubicle . The gunman had started moving to the other side of the building , reloading and shooting . Reloading and shooting . Burnette knew he had to get out of that building . `` As I started to run , I fell again , not realizing I could n't use my left leg . '' After falling , Burnette said , he `` threw all of my body weight ... towards that door as hard and as fast as possible . '' `` Once I hit that front door , I began to low crawl , about five meters up a hill just , you know , pushing my body forward with everything I had , '' he said . A staff sergeant grabbed him by his uniform collar and dragged him into an office and locked the door . `` Everything is going to be all right , '' the sergeant told him , as he began administering first aid . Burnette said he does n't know the sergeant 's name , but he will recognize him instantly if their paths ever cross again . `` Our Father who art in heaven ... hallowed be thy name . '' Burnette , a practicing Catholic , lie on the ground , repeating the prayer over and over again . He did n't know whether he would see his wife again . A week later , Burnette has undergone two operations and still has a bullet lodged in his right hip . On Wednesday , he was making his way to the Army 's Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio , Texas , for further treatment . He knows that 's where Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan , the accused shooter , is also being treated . `` I ca n't really think about it , '' Burnette said . `` I have a lot of faith in our military , our judicial system -- and God . '' Soldiers are taught from day one that you help the wounded , even when they are enemies in combat , even the guy who shot you . `` Do n't get me wrong , '' he said , `` Everything in your heart wants to -LSB- unleash -RSB- anger at this person , but we have to trust that our system works somehow . `` By no means am I happy that he is in better shape than a lot of my comrades , '' Burnette said about the suspect . `` But I 'm not here to play God , either . '' Ultimately , Burnette said , he is sorry for a man who feels the need to execute unarmed personnel , his comrades , in the name of God . Does he pity the Fort Hood shooter ? `` Yeah , '' he said , pausing . `` To an extent . '' CNN 's Sanjay Gupta and Danielle Dellorto contributed to this report . | Spc. Logan Burnette 's original day at Fort Hood turned to nightmare . Burnette says he threw table at accused shooter Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan . Burnette is being transferred to same hospital that houses Hasan . | [[4867, 4960], [4884, 4912], [4937, 4960]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- What could be bigger than the appointment of the first female minister in Saudi Arabia ? Saudi King Abdullah made more than one noteable appointment to his council of ministers . Possibly the appointment of a new minister of justice who may actually help her get equal rights with her male counterpart . Right now , Norah al-Faiz , the new deputy minister for women 's education , is bound by the same laws as every other woman in the land . She can do only what her closest male relative permits . For many women of her status and education , that law is interpreted liberally , but for the vast majority , it is not . Over the weekend , at a single stroke , King Abdullah set Saudi Arabia on what appears to be an irreversible new course , one of modernization . He replaced the conservative ministers of justice and the head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice with people closer to his way of thinking . The king also appointed a new head of the central bank , SAMA -- widely seen by financial experts as a wise move -- and brought in young blood and fresh ideas to the Majlis al Shura , the closest thing the country has to a parliament . That these changes happened should not be a surprise . Since he took over as king in August 2005 , when his ailing half-brother Fahd died , King Abdullah has been working quietly to bring about change . Indeed , al-Faiz used to lead the king 's Center for National Dialogue , a sort of talking shop that allowed issues such as women 's rights to be debated . The hope was that as discussions about change bubbled up in national and regional arenas , they would also filter out to newspapers and onto television . It 's exactly what 's been happening . The king is well into his 80s and inherited many ministers and other top officials almost as old as him . Many had been in their posts for decades , and many , unlike the king , held their conservative upbringings more than half a century ago to be models for the country 's future . So when a judge recently upheld the marriage of a 47-year-old man to an 8-year old-girl , there was a public backlash . Why ? Because debate about this issue had percolated into the public arena . And suddenly the judge looked out of step with society . It 's not what made the king decide to replace the minister of justice ; it just highlights how his steady behind-the-scenes work has helped him outflank the sizeable conservative segment of Saudi society . What the king and many of his fellow royals have realized for a long time is that no country is an island , least of all one as rich and prosperous as Saudi Arabia . The kingdom 's large and rapidly growing young population watches satellite TV , surfs the Internet and chats on Blackberries with friends in Europe , and it expects a different future than the one currently on offer . The sweeping changes remove some of the ministers most likely to hold back the next generation . The old Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice commission head , who runs the religious police , is an example . He has been replaced with someone closer to the king 's thinking , according to a deputy minister I talked with . The religious police patrol shopping malls and streets , enforcing religious laws such as ones requiring women to keep their heads covered and refrain from talking to men who are n't their relatives . They rile the youngsters who strain for more freedom . But no one is expecting revolutionary change overnight . Saudi Arabia is not about to become a `` permissive society . '' Religious law , long-held customs and deep religious principles are not up for negotiation . After all , the Saudi king derives respect and authority from his role as `` guardian '' of Islam 's two holiest sites , Mecca and Medina . To be less than thoroughly religious would not wash , even with Saudi 's moderates . King Abdullah is calculating that he is making change at a pace people can cope with . On a recent visit to a shopping mall where religious police had taken a back seat for the past year , it seemed to me the octogenarian king is just about keeping up . The religious police were in the background , and among young girls in particular , headscarves were gone and lipstick was in bright abundance . | With minister picks , king appears to have put Saudi Arabia on a new course . Woman at education post is kingdom 's first female minister . Conservative justice minister , head of religious police have been replaced . | [[108, 197], [639, 655], [658, 676], [679, 758], [19, 107], [784, 959]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From bedroom creators to big studios , hand-drawn to CGI , animation has charmed and entertained children -- and , increasingly , adults -- for many years . The Screening Room went to Annecy in France to discover the secrets of success in animated films ... Annecy has hailed animators like director Tim Burton , seen here receiving a special award at Annecy in 2006 . Annecy is the Cannes of animation . The French town , which lies close to the Swiss border just 40 kilometers -LRB- 25 miles -RRB- from Geneva , has hosted the International Animated Film Festival for almost half a century and attracts a younger crowd than many of the major film festivals . With prizes for long and short features , television and student animation , Annecy highlights a wide variety of different types of animation and budgets . One veteran of Annecy is Craig Decker , known as worldwide cult figure `` Spike '' and co-founder of `` Spike and Mike 's Sick & Twisted Festival of Animation . '' Beginning 30 years ago as a means of bringing independent animation to new audiences , the touring festival was instrumental in showcasing the early works of legendary animators such as Tim Burton , Pixar 's John Lasseter and Aardman 's Nick Park , as well as the first episode of `` Beavis and Butthead . '' Spike explained to CNN the challenge of getting animation taken seriously . He said , `` Originally we had to deal with the stigma . We showed great films like National Film Board of Canada -LSB- pieces -RSB- , or `` Tin Toy '' by John Lasseter , works of art , masterpieces that take two to three years to make , and we had to deal with , ` What is it ? Cartoons like Bugs Bunny or something like that ? ' And over the years we 've educated the public , and we 've put animation in the context of a very cool thing -LSB- with -RSB- a young , hip , adult audience of 18 and over . '' Stop-motion classics . One of Spike and Mike 's biggest fans , Nick Park , won the Annecy award for Best TV Animation with `` Shaun the Sheep , '' a spin-off from `` A Close Shave , '' one of Aardman 's famous Wallace and Gromit short features that grabbed an Oscar . Stop-motion is also close to the heart of director Tim Burton , who employed the technique on `` Corpse Bride '' and `` The Nightmare Before Christmas . '' He said , `` Because it 's such an old-fashioned technique , a lot of it truly has to do with finding the right group of animators , the right group of people to build the puppets , because a lot of things are being done by computer now . Very few people are doing this style of animation . '' Allison Abbate , a producer on `` Corpse Bride , '' added , `` Stop motion is an age-old process as far as animation in film-making goes . It has n't really changed since the days of King Kong - we used new technology in ` Corpse Bride ' to bring it into a new century . '' Appropriate animation . `` I think there 's room for all types of animation , '' she continued . `` It depends on the story . The story should really decide how you tell it . I think there are stories that are better made in 2-D and CGI and that 's what you 'd go for . '' 2-D animation is the mainstay of Japanese anime - a subject so vast it will command its own feature in a subsequent edition of the Screening Room . The film `` Paprika '' has won worldwide critical praise during the past year as a sophisticated example of the art , whose keenest supporters are sometimes contemptuous of their Hollywood animation counterparts . Asia is becoming an increasingly powerful force in animation , where companies who traditionally provided a cheap source of labor for animation studios are now using their skills to take a leading role in the creative process . UTV Toons is one of several Indian companies forming partnerships with big U.S. production houses to make new animated features . Combination of skills . Animation requires a combination of several skills , as producer Allison Abbate explained . She told CNN that animators face many complex challenges . `` Animators have to know how to move things , how things work anatomically in a space , but they also have to know how to act , how to emote and that is what makes animation so different from live action . It is so crafted , one frame at a time . '' But Spike points out that the rewards animation promises can be very high . `` Obviously in features , look at the most successful films , '' he told CNN . `` They 're nearly all animated Pixar pieces or , if it 's live action , it 's the special effects animation that carries the film . '' And the future ? Spike believes animation is going mobile . He said , `` Internationally , what 's exciting is with new media : with digital ; with broadband ; with mobile phones . That 's where we 're going with our stuff . '' E-mail to a friend . | The International Animated Film Festival in Annecy is the Cannes of animation . Festival highlights the best in animation , from student work to studio shorts . Experts say the future of animation is on mobile devices . | [[405, 440], [774, 852], [4630, 4672], [4645, 4672]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hundreds of U.S. and Afghan soldiers have embarked on a major operation against militants in the eastern Afghan region of Tora Bora , near the border with Pakistan , officials have told CNN . File photo of the remote mountain Tora Bora region on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan . Air and ground strikes under way in the remote mountain region are aimed at large numbers of militant fighters . The troops are targeting `` hundreds of hardened al Qaeda and Taliban in dug-in positions , '' said officials familiar with the intelligence . The operation started two days ago in the region , where al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was once thought to be hiding . The Bush administration has been criticized for not sending enough ground forces to Tora Bora in December 2001 to capture the militant after the invasion that toppled the Taliban . `` U.S. and Afghan forces engaged al Qaeda and other violent extremist fighters in eastern Afghanistan during a combined arms assault using precision munitions . There have been no substantiated reports of civilian casualties in this engagement , '' said Capt. Vanessa R. Bowman , a U.S. Army spokeswoman . `` The targets were carefully chosen to pinpoint enemy positions and eliminate the likelihood of harming innocent civilians , '' she said . `` This region has provided an ideal environment to conceal enemy support bases and training sites , as well as plan and launch attacks aimed at terrorizing innocent civilians , both inside and outside the region . '' Also Wednesday , a manager at a private British security firm in Afghanistan was shot and killed in the capital Kabul , a spokesman for the company said . `` We did lose a manager today in Kabul to unknown assailants , '' Christopher Beese , spokesman for ArmorGroup International , said Wednesday . He said next of kin have been notified and an inquiry into the incident has begun . The name of the man , a British national , was not released . `` It 's bad news . He was a very well-respected man , '' Beese said , noting that the victim had experience in Afghanistan going back to the early 1980s . Beese -- who said the man 's role was to run the administration of the 1,200-person-strong security presence in the country -- described the man as a `` logistics manager '' and `` all things to all people . '' The firm , which has been operating in Afghanistan since 2002 , mostly provides diplomatic protection and has contracts with the British and American governments . The man recruited and trained Afghan guards and was the most senior administrator at the company 's Kabul base , Camp Anjuman , the company said . E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Joe Sterling contributed to this report . | Hundreds of U.S. and Afghan soldiers embark on major operation in Tora Bora . They are using air , ground strikes to target al Qaeda , Taliban . Osama bin Laden was once thought to be hiding in remote mountain region . U.S. Army : No substantiated reports of civilian casualties . | [[0, 15], [40, 150], [306, 418], [867, 997], [619, 659], [668, 682], [619, 644], [655, 682], [1026, 1108]] |
KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The war in Afghanistan may no longer be forgotten but the true victims always are . Having been denied healthcare and education under the Taliban , Afghan women are now training as midwives . Women and children in the landlocked Asian country have continuously paid the ultimate price throughout the decades of conflict and war . It is their lives that are considered not precious enough to save . A woman here dies every 29 minutes due to childbirth complications , according to the United Nations Development Fund for Women -LRB- UNIFEM -RRB- -- one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world . One in four children die before they reach the age of five because of the lack of health care and medical facilities in their cities and villages . But ignorance is also deadly . Misguided cultural pride prevents men from allowing their women to see a doctor , merely because the doctor could be male . And in many cases , it 's not just women who die from childbirth-related issues . It is young girls forced into marriage before they even reach puberty . Their still-forming bodies can not handle the complications of childbirth . But there are women in Afghanistan stepping up within the crowds of the forgotten and pushing past the barriers . They are training as midwives across the country to help bring change and save lives . `` A woman can help a woman more , '' midwifery student Fariha Ibrahimi told CNN . `` We have to introduce them with what to do , what foods to eat , how to take care of themselves . '' -LSB- We -RSB- tell their husbands how to treat them . There are some husbands who beat their wives to the point where they can no longer even get pregnant . '' At the Ibni Sina Balkhi Midwifery Training Center in Kabul , dozens of future midwives study and practise in the hope of bringing a brighter future to their countrywomen . `` It 's very heartbreaking , '' Ibrahimi said of the situation women face . `` Afghanistan has gone through so much war and most girls were not allowed to get an education , so I want to study and bring forth something new . '' Sympathy for Afghan women is the strongest motivating force among students in this field : Many know personally what is like to live in a society where pregnant women are ignored and forgotten . `` We live in an area where we are far from any clinic or hospital and there are a lot of difficulties there for pregnant women , '' Nourzia , a student and mother , told CNN . `` It 's very difficult for them to reach a hospital . This is why I was so keen in learning this profession and helping these women ; so in the future they are in less danger . '' All the women here are training with the permission and support of their families . They are leading the way to a brighter tomorrow for Afghan women -- one that may one day catch up with the rest of the world . `` The world is moving forward and he did n't want me to sit around jobless , '' said future midwife , Maurina whose husband is supportive of her new career . `` He wanted me to push ahead in this field , especially a field in which our people need help in . '' There are still many obstacles left and these women are still in the minority . According to the World Health Organization there are only about 2,000 trained midwives servicing Afghanistan 's population of just under 33 million . But that is a giant leap from just eight years ago when most women were denied an education , medical care and the basic necessities of survival under the Taliban regime . It will take many years to change mindsets instilled by decades of brutality . But these women prove that maybe , just maybe , the next generation can fix the mistakes of the last . | Afghanistan has one of the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality in the world . A woman dies in childbirth every 29 minutes , one in four children die before age 5 . In Kabul , dozens of women are now studying to become midwives to help save lives . | [[437, 503], [646, 793], [187, 199], [204, 230], [1293, 1379], [1788, 1813], [1845, 1898]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- You 'd think someone who lasted 17 years as host of a television program in this day and age -- particularly a show as venerable as NBC 's `` Tonight Show '' -- would be receiving praise and honor . Jay Leno has rarely impressed critics , but he 's been the No. 1 late-night host for almost 15 years . Not so Jay Leno , whose final `` Tonight Show '' is Friday . `` Without fail , Leno 's show fills an hour and kills an hour , '' wrote The Associated Press ' Frazier Moore in a recent column on Leno 's `` Tonight '' legacy . `` For 17 years in late night he has vigorously played a game of lowered expectations , and met them . '' Ouch . Leno has never been the critics ' favorite . David Letterman , who watched Leno receive Johnny Carson 's `` Tonight Show '' desk but never Carson 's blessing , has long been touted as the King of Late Night 's true successor with his CBS show . Conan O'Brien , who began his run as Letterman 's NBC successor facing howls of derision , leaves it with some critics ' hopes that he 'll infuse the `` Tonight Show , '' his new home as of Monday , with new life . Watch how the late-night scene is changing '' And Leno ? He 'll leave behind the heavily rimshotted jokes , the Dancing Itos , the `` Jaywalking '' and `` Headlines '' bits -- all the things that drove Letterman and O'Brien fans up the wall -- with an audience of 5 million , still tops among late-night TV shows . And he 'll be moving to prime time in September . Some CNN iReporters , asked to choose between Leno and O'Brien , say it 's no contest . iReport : Whom do you prefer ? `` I feel like Jay Leno is more for men and women , '' said iReporter Melissa Fazli of Yorba Linda , California . `` Where I think Conan O'Brien , only men get . ... I do n't get his sense of humor . '' `` Jay Leno is like everybody 's cool guy to go to . You want to hang out with Jay , '' said Kyle Aevermann of Itasca , Illinois . Leno 's comedy has usually played off his regular-guy persona . In the 1980s , when he was a regular guest on Letterman 's `` Late Night , '' Dave used to welcome a wound-up Leno with a jovial , `` What 's your beef , Jay ? '' To which Leno -- who looked like a cross between a class clown and a Boston greaser -- would respond with a well-turned wisenheimer riff on being stuck in the middle seat on airplanes or evil-twin plots on television . -LRB- YouTube is full of Leno 's old `` Late Night '' appearances . -RRB- . Moore and other critics may criticize Leno for `` lowered expectations , '' but upon taking the reins of `` Tonight '' on May 25 , 1992 , Leno opted for a more Jack Paar-esque `` Tonight '' show , mixing raconteurs among the comedians , actors and pop singers . Along with the usual entertainers -- Tom Cruise , Rosie O'Donnell -- among his early guests were opera singer Kathleen Battle , humorist P.J. O'Rourke and author-reporter Robert Krulwich . But the show , also beset by infighting between Leno 's then-executive producer and NBC brass , suffered in the ratings , often finishing behind Letterman 's CBS `` Late Show , '' which premiered in 1993 . Sources give various reasons for the turnaround -- a new set , Leno 's growing comfort , broader jokes -- but generally pinpoint the moment Leno became late night 's leader to the appearance of one guest : Hugh Grant . The actor , who was promoting his film `` Nine Months , '' appeared on `` Tonight '' in July 1995 , just after his arrest for consorting with a prostitute . Leno led off the interview with a humorously exasperated , `` What the hell were you thinking ? '' The audience picked up , and `` Tonight '' has led the late-night ratings ever since . Entertainment Weekly recently named the Grant interview the best moment of Leno 's `` Tonight '' tenure . Leno , though he 's been portrayed as a ferocious backroom infighter -- before striking a deal for the 10 p.m. talk-variety show he 'll lead in the fall , he made no secret of his willingness to leave NBC -- generally lets criticism go by like a morning mist . `` Trash talking is a part of the competition , '' he said after hearing about a jab from ABC 's Jimmy Kimmel . `` You do your best . It gives you the impetus to prove them wrong . '' And the man must be doing something right . Until being hospitalized last month , he 'd never missed a `` Tonight '' taping . He 's done 3,775 episodes , about 750 fewer than Carson , but in 13 fewer years . He still gets out on the road , recently putting on free shows for Detroit autoworkers . In fact , the criticism aimed at Leno can be reminiscent of the complaints aimed at reliable-but-dull cars . When an auto executive was asked why his top-selling vehicle -- often compared to vanilla ice cream -- remained so popular , he pointed out that although some people may find vanilla ice cream boring , a lot of people like it . Leno , a major auto buff , must know what he means . | Jay Leno concludes 17 years as `` Tonight Show '' host Friday . Leno has been criticized for dumbing down the show , but he 's been No. 1 for years . He 'll be succeeded by Conan O'Brien ; in fall , he 'll launch prime-time show . | [[1434, 1483]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Alaska lottery held to raise money for a group that helps sexual abuse victims had a surprise winner : a convicted sex offender . Alec Ahsoak in an undated photograph . Alec Ahsoak , who according to the state sex offender registry was convicted in 1993 and 2000 for sexual abuse of a minor , came forward Saturday with the winning ticket for the $ 500,000 Lucky Time Pull Tabs jackpot . Proceeds of the lottery help Standing Together Against Rape in Anchorage , a nonprofit group that offers support to sexual assault victims among other services . `` It 's not how we had envisioned the story going , '' Nancy Haag , the group 's executive director , told CNN Radio . Alaska has the highest per capita number of rape cases in the United States , according to FBI statistics . `` With a ranking that high , it 's ironic that the person who wins is a convicted sex offender , '' Haag added . Ahsoak 's past was first revealed by KTUU-TV in Anchorage on Sunday . His attorney , Lance Wells , did not immediately return a call Monday from CNN . Efforts to reach lottery organizer Abe Spicola , who owns Lucky Times Pull Tabs , were unsuccessful late Monday . But Spicola told the Anchorage Daily News that Ahsoak `` was going to buy a house and said he was going to donate part of it to God , and , you know , charity . '' CNN 's Samira J. Simone and April Willliams contributed to this report . | Lottery winner reportedly convicted in 1993 and 2000 for sexual abuse of a minor . Proceeds of the lottery help Standing Together Against Rape in Anchorage . FBI : Alaska has the highest per capita number of rape cases in the United States . | [[191, 202], [254, 284], [830, 895], [19, 68], [410, 482], [692, 767], [692, 698], [770, 799]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Another Hollywood marriage is ending -- but this one was no flash in the pan . Robin Wright Penn and Sean Penn had been married 11 years . Sean Penn and Robin Wright Penn are divorcing , according to their representative , Mara Buxbaum . People magazine first reported the split Thursday night . The actors began dating after they met making the 1990 movie `` State of Grace . '' They married in 1996 , and have two children , Dylan Frances , 16 , and Hopper Jack , 14 . Previously , Penn was married to Madonna for four years , while Wright was married to actor Dane Witherspoon for two years . In addition to `` State of Grace , '' Penn and Wright appeared together in 1997 's `` She 's So Lovely '' and 1998 's `` Hurlyburly , '' and both are set to appear in Barry Levinson 's next film , `` What Just Happened ? , '' due out in 2008 . Penn , 47 , won a best actor Oscar for 2003 's `` Mystic River , '' and was nominated for best actor for `` Dead Man Walking , '' `` Sweet and Lowdown , '' and `` I Am Sam . '' His latest directorial effort , `` Into The Wild , '' has received four SAG Award nominations and two Golden Globe nominations . Wright , 41 , is best known for her title role in `` The Princess Bride '' and for starring opposite Tom Hanks in `` Forrest Gump . '' E-mail to a friend . | Sean Penn , Robin Wright Penn had been married 11 years . Pair met while making 1990 's `` State of Grace '' Couple has two children ; has made three films together , with fourth due out . | [[123, 182], [340, 400], [370, 420], [424, 428], [451, 514]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When Maggie Sorrells looks at her husband , Andy , she does n't see the man she married . In fact , most days , she does n't even recognize herself . Maggie and Andy Sorrells weighed 440 pounds and 505 pounds , respectively , at their heaviest . Before the Franklin , Tennessee , couple met online , both had endured lifelong struggles with weight and emotional overeating . Together , they had a combined weight of nearly 1,000 pounds . Maggie , who had a family history of heart disease and diabetes , had been warned by her doctor at the age of 27 that she would n't live to see 30 . But her real moment of truth came when she visited her mother in the hospital . `` The biggest shock of my entire life was stepping on a hospital scale and realizing I weighed 440 pounds , '' she recalls . Until that moment , Maggie says she never knew how much she weighed , because she was too heavy to register on a household scale . Andy , like Maggie , tried countless diets but failed to keep the weight off . At his heaviest , he was 505 pounds and had to have most of his size 64 clothing made by his mother to fit his 6-foot-3-inch frame . See before-and-after photos of CNN.com I-Reporters '' Obesity took an emotional and physical toll on the couple . Andy says people constantly teased him about his weight and he eventually withdrew . He battled depression and took anti-depressants for seven years . Maggie , on the other hand , tried to conceal her misery by making other people laugh . `` I was so depressed and so miserable . I was always the funny fat girl , but on the inside I was miserable , '' recalls Maggie . `` It held me back in many ways and I started to accept it as being genetic and felt this was just the way I was going to be . '' Though she never let her obesity keep her from traveling or socializing , it had affected her quality of life . Maggie had to use a seatbelt extension on airplanes and was once asked to get off a roller-coaster at an amusement park . In August 2002 , the couple was married and they soon made a decision that would forever change their lives . Before getting married , a friend introduced Maggie to The Weigh Down Workshop , a faith-based weight loss program , which teaches people to conquer their addiction to food , as well as other substances and vices , by turning to God . Maggie says she was never consistent or committed enough to stick with the program . But shortly after their wedding , the couple started packing on the pounds and while Andy tried another diet , Maggie gave Weigh Down another try . `` At the end of 2002 and the beginning of 2003 , I called Weigh Down and started taking the classes , '' says Maggie . `` My whole life , I had always wanted somebody to -LSB- lose weight -RSB- with me . But I knew if I wanted it bad enough , I would have to do it alone . '' She began to lose weight . `` I ate whatever I craved , but only when I was truly hungry and then I ate a lot more slowly , so I could tell when to stop , '' Maggie says . In February 2003 , after seeing his wife 's results , Andy stopped counting calories , gave up the low-fat foods and reduced his portion sizes . Fifteen months later , he had lost 257 pounds . `` Once I started this program , it changed my outlook on my entire life . I realized that being happy is a choice . I can either be filled with hate and despair or I can be happy , '' says Andy , who realized he no longer needed the anti-depressants . Maggie 's weight loss was more gradual . Shortly after starting the program , Maggie became pregnant with the couple 's first child . Sadly , she lost the baby when she was seven months pregnant . `` Many of our family members were afraid that we would turn back to food after we lost our first daughter , since we had turned to food to solve our problems our whole lives , '' remembers Maggie . Faith , she says , helped her overcome the loss and continue on the program . Three years later , she had not only lost 300 pounds but she also gave birth to another daughter , Lily . Last week , the couple welcomed their son , Jacob . How has the weight loss changed their lives ? Maggie , who now weighs 140 pounds and wears a size six , and Andy , who weighs 220 pounds and wears a size 36 , say they had no idea their lives could be this good . `` It blows my mind that we look the way we do , '' says Maggie . The couple shares their success and strategy for weight loss by leading online classes for Weigh Down . Maggie believes if just one person 's life can be changed by her story then her struggle will have been worth it . `` I want people to know there is hope . I looked for hope my whole life , '' says Maggie . `` I want that person who is just like the old me to look at where I am now and know that you want to be here ! '' iReport.com : Have you lost weight ? Send your story , photos and video E-mail to a friend . | Maggie and Andy Sorrells once had a combined weight of nearly 1,000 pounds . Doctors warned Maggie that she would n't live to the age of 30 . A faith-based program and portion control helped them shed 580 pounds . | [[169, 227], [405, 456], [457, 463], [512, 584], [570, 605]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dangerous cocktails of prescription drugs were pumped into Anna Nicole Smith `` almost to the point of stupefaction '' and eventually led to her death , California Attorney General Jerry Brown said Friday . Anna Nicole Smith 's boyfriend Howard K. Stern was among those charged Thursday . Brown called Smith 's longtime partner and attorney Howard K. Stern the `` principal enabler '' in a conspiracy with two doctors for giving the `` known addict '' thousands of prescription pills . Stern and a doctor were jailed on charges of conspiring to furnish drugs before her death in 2007 , authorities said . `` Stern and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor were arrested and later released from a Los Angeles County jail Thursday night after each posted a $ 20,000 bond , a police spokesman said . Dr. Khristine Eroshevich also faces charges and is expected to turn herself in Monday , authorities said . The doctors and Stern devised a plan to use fake names so Smith could be prescribed `` thousands of pills , '' Brown said . Her doctors knew she was addicted and gave her drugs `` excessively , '' Brown said . `` The quantity of the drugs , the variety of the drugs , the combination at any given point and her continuing to use that ; that , to a professional , is clear evidence of addiction , '' Brown said . `` These cocktails of methadone and antidepressants and sleeping pills and Xanax , you put all that into a cocktail , it explodes and can cause death , injury and permanent morbidity and disability , '' he said . Watch Brown speak to the media '' Brown said he hoped the charges send a loud and clear message . `` Doctors do not have a license to pump innocent and often vulnerable people full of dangerous chemicals , '' he said . Smith , 39 , was pronounced dead February 8 , 2007 , after being found unconscious in her hotel room at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino near Hollywood , Florida . The former Playboy playmate and reality TV star died from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs , a coroner said . Several prescription medications -- both in Smith 's and Stern 's names -- were found in the room after her death . Officials said prescription and over-the-counter drugs were found in Smith 's system , including three antidepressant or anti-anxiety drugs . Also found in toxicology testing was human growth hormone and chloral hydrate , a sleep medication , officials said . Stern and Kapoor , both 40 , and Eroshevich , 61 , each were charged with eight felonies , including conspiring to furnish controlled substances , unlawfully prescribing a controlled substance and obtaining fraudulent prescriptions from June 2004 to January 2007 -- only weeks before Smith 's death . Kapoor and Eroshevich also were each charged with obtaining a prescription for opiates by `` fraud , deceit or misrepresentation . '' And each was charged with one count of obtaining a prescription for opiates by giving a false name or address , according to the Los Angeles District Attorney 's Office . Smith was buried in the Bahamas on March 2 , 2007 , next to the grave of her son , Daniel , who had died in September 2006 , days after the birth of her daughter , Dannielynn . Brown said his office will aggressively target California doctors who over-prescribe dangerous drugs . `` People think those drug dealers on the street corners are the only threat , '' he said . `` As a matter of fact , people in white smocks and pharmacies and with their medical degrees are a growing threat , and we aim to curtail it and curb it in the best way we can . '' | NEW : Attorney General calls Howard K. Stern the `` principal enabler '' in conspiracy . Ex-playmate drugged `` almost to the point of stupefaction , '' California AG says . Howard K. Stern , Sandeep Kapoor , Khristine Eroshevich charged with eight felonies . The three are accused of conspiring to furnish drugs before her death . | [[333, 479], [197, 250], [2987, 3045], [251, 255], [292, 332], [2491, 2584], [530, 627], [2491, 2584]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man charged with murder in the deaths of 11 women pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity Thursday , said Ryan Miday , a spokesman for the Cuyahoga County , Ohio , prosecutor . A grand jury has indicted Anthony Sowell on 85 counts , following the discovery of 11 sets of human remains at his Cleveland , Ohio , house in October . The charges include several counts of aggravated murder with a `` mass murder specification , '' meaning multiple people were killed in a similar fashion , said Bill Mason , the Cuyahoga County prosecutor . Sowell , 50 , faces rape and kidnapping charges as well and also has been charged with brutalizing three other women and raping two of them , Mason said . Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Sowell . Investigators arrested him in October after authorities serving a search warrant in a rape case discovered the remains of six women in and around his house . Subsequent searches turned up the remains of five others . All 11 remains were of African-American women . Police used cadaver dogs Wednesday to search Sowell 's childhood home , just outside Cleveland . `` We 're just trying to cover all our bases , '' said Scott Wilson , spokesman for the FBI , which is assisting local detectives in the case . Authorities have said they are looking at the unsolved slayings of three women in East Cleveland to determine if they share any similarities with the remains found at Sowell 's house . The indictment against Sowell also alleges that he assaulted women on December 8 , 2008 , and on September 22 and October 20 of this year . The women in September and October were raped , and the other woman was punched and choked before escaping , Mason said . Sowell 's charges in those cases include attempted murder , rape or attempted rape , kidnapping , robbery and felonious assault . Sowell has pleaded not guilty to charges in the September 22 rape . On October 20 , neighbors reported seeing a naked woman fall from the second floor of his house . Firefighters responded and later notified police . But the woman told officers she fell off the roof while she was at the home `` partying , '' police said earlier . No charges were filed at the time . Sowell threatened his victims and warned them not to contact police , Mason said . It 's possible there are others , he added , and urged anyone who has not come forward to do so . Sowell `` knew what he was doing was wrong at the time he was doing it , '' the prosecutor said . As of last month , Sowell was on suicide watch at the request of his public defender , Kathleen DeMetz . She had said a psychiatric evaluation of Sowell had been ordered but was unlikely to happen until after an indictment was filed . Cuyahoga County Sheriff Bob Reid told reporters this week that Sowell has been a `` model prisoner , '' is kept in an isolated unit and has declined visitation requests . Most of the victims were strangled by ligature -- which could include a string , cord or wire -- and at least one was strangled by hand , officials said . Seven still had ligatures wrapped around their necks . The skull of one woman was wrapped in a paper bag and stuffed into a bucket in the home 's basement . Sowell served 15 years in prison for a 1989 attempted rape and was released in 2005 . He was required to register as a sex offender . After the discovery of the 11 women , police in mid-November used thermal imaging in an attempt to see if any additional human remains were on the property and dug certain areas by hand . No more remains were found . | Suspect pleads not guilty by reason of insanity . Anthony Sowell accused in deaths of 11 women . Remains of African-American women found at Cleveland , Ohio , house . Cadaver dogs also search Sowell 's childhood home . | [[0, 15], [62, 120], [1856, 1923], [19, 70], [857, 930], [990, 1037], [1038, 1107]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Akil Vohra quit a lucrative job in international trade litigation to take up something he strongly believes in -- as a legal expert , a Muslim and , most importantly , he says , as an American . He wanted to make sure that Muslims could fulfill zakat , one of the five pillars of Islam that mandates the giving of alms . Zakat is especially important during the holy month of Ramadan , which ends on Saturday . But after the terrorist attacks of September 11 , 2001 , a dark cloud hung over Muslim charities as the federal government heightened scrutiny over terrorism concerns . Zakat suddenly became a risky religious obligation . Agencies all over America from women 's shelters and health clinics to inner-city community centers saw donation checks dry up . `` The fear of giving was very real , said Vohra , 33 , who now works for San Francisco-based Muslim Advocates , an agency that was created to address two needs in post-September 11 America : racial profiling of Muslims and charitable giving . Muslim Advocates partners with the Better Business Bureau to attain accreditation for Muslim nonprofits so that agencies can attain greater transparency and overcome perceptions of wrongdoing . Plus , people can feel more at ease about their donations . The Muslim Charities Accreditation Program , which began in August 2008 , examines nonprofits and trains agency leaders to comply with the federal government 's legal and financial regulations , said Vohra , the program 's legal counsel . Just before the start of Ramadan a month ago , three nonprofit organizations had met all 20 standards required for accreditation . Vohra said several others are going through the process . In turn , Vohra hopes that Muslim charities will start seeing more dollars come their way . `` We do n't make comments on which group to give to , '' Vohra said . `` What we 're concerned about is giving the right way -- best practices for zakat . `` To be able to give freely is a right of all Americans . '' he said . Vohra takes phone calls from people around the nation seeking guidance . `` We 're planning to send money , '' people tell him . `` Is this group OK ? What 's the best way to send our donation ? '' Because of the widespread concerns , Muslim Advocates decided to upload a guidance video on YouTube . It asks people to consider donating to U.S.-registered tax exempt charitable organizations . It tells them to make the intent of their donation clear , keep records and perhaps ask for proof that the funds were used for their intended purpose . The guidance became essential after the federal government cracked down on Muslim groups in 2001 , Vohra said . According to the American Civil Liberties Union , the Bush administration froze the assets of three U.S. charities -- the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development , Global Relief Foundation and Benevolence International Foundation -- during Ramadan in 2001 . Six others have been shuttered to date , the ACLU said . Only one , the Holy Land Foundation , was tied to terrorism after five of its leaders were convicted of providing money to the Palestinian militant group Hamas . `` The government 's actions against these three charities were the start of a pattern of conduct that violated the fundamental rights of American Muslims ' charitable giving in accordance with their faith , '' the ACLU wrote in a report published in June . It said the result was that many in the American Muslim community restricted or stopped their donations altogether out of fear that they would be investigated for terrorism . Vohra , however , is hopeful the tide is turning . President Obama signaled change in his historic speech to the Muslim world delivered in Cairo , Egypt , earlier this year . Obama said he was committed to working with American Muslims to ensure they can fulfill zakat . Vohra said the accreditation program , along with new government perspective , can return confidence and comfort to a religious obligation for Muslims . `` It 's been tough for American Muslims post 9/11 , '' he said . `` This has to do with civic engagement , to be treated as full Americans . '' | U.S. government started cracking down on Muslim charities after 9/11 attacks . Donation checks to shelters , community centers started to dry up . Charities hope accreditation will overcome perceptions of wrongdoing . | [[434, 439], [487, 598], [2608, 2668], [652, 775], [756, 780], [3435, 3601]] |
ST. PAUL , Minnesota -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sex columnist Dan Savage and author of the popular syndicated sex advice column `` Savage Love , '' made his way to St. Paul , Minnesota , to attend the Republican National Convention where he is filming a piece for HBO 's `` Real Time with Bill Maher . '' Sex columnist Dan Savage is reporting on the GOP convention for HBO 's `` Real Time with Bill Maher . '' Planted in the CNN Grill , Savage shares his thoughts on John McCain 's running mate , Sarah Palin , tells us what a sex columnist is doing at a political convention , and gives us his take on who 's sexier , Democrats or Republicans . Here are five questions for Dan Savage : . CNN : You 're here because you 're a lifelong Republican ? Savage : No , that 's not true , actually . I 'm a Democrat , although I am a registered Republican in Washington State , but just to drive the Washington State Republican Party up the wall . CNN : Why are you here ? Savage : I was here to see if I could find any evidence of George W. Bush at the convention . And I found very little . There was that satellite feed . I bought this button -LSB- points to Dick Cheney button on his shirt -RSB- . This will be the only time you 'll see Dick Cheney at the convention is when you see me walk by with this button ... I was n't able to purchase it here ... I mean you talk to Republican delegates walking around , a lot of them will admit that George Bush has been a major disappointment and they 're happy that he 's not here . And one of the reasons that they 're happy he 's not here is that they do n't want America reminded that four years ago and eight years ago , these same delegates ... thought George Bush walked on water . CNN : Why would `` Real Time with Bill Maher '' send a sex columnist to cover the Republican National Convention ? Savage : Because when you 're a sex writer in America you have to write about politics because politicians will not stop obsessing about it -- screwing around with people 's sex lives . Often when I write about politics in `` Savage Love , '' my sex advice column , people write to me and say , `` you 're a sex columnist , stick to sex . '' And I 'll say -- I usually respond -- `` I 'll be able to stick to sex when politicians stick to politics and leave our sex lives alone , and stop politicizing our sex lives . '' But they do . And it 's one of the major differences between the two political parties , our sexual issues . And so my view is very relevant , I feel very at home here . CNN : Any thoughts on McCain 's running mate choice ? Savage : I think Palin has been the clown car of the vice presidential nominee . You never know what 's going to pop out of Palin next . CNN : Who 's sexier : Republicans or Democrats ? Savage : Well , there 's just something about those Young Republicans . They 're very sexy . They 're very tense and nervous . I spoke to a lot of them because I 've been running around the convention asking teenagers throughout the convention if they 're virgins or not . ` Cuz I feel like I have a right to know because we 've invested over a billion dollars in abstinence education programs under George Bush . | Savage : Here to see if I could find any evidence of George W. Bush at the convention . Savage : I found very little of Bush or Cheney . Savage : `` I think Palin has been the clown car of the vice presidential nominee '' Savage : `` You never know what 's going to pop out of Palin next '' | [[966, 967], [977, 1050], [1051, 1076], [429, 486], [2588, 2659], [2660, 2715], [2675, 2715]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Biologist Matt Aresco has been carrying a big burden for years . A biologist says that wherever he can get it , he 'll take money to protect turtles from a killer stretch of road . He 's made it his mission to save thousands of turtles from near-certain death on one of the worst turtle-killing highways in America , U.S. Route 27 just north of Tallahassee , Florida . The road skirts Lake Jackson , but that did n't stop the turtles from wanting to get to the other side . In three years , Aresco counted nearly 9,000 dead turtles . `` There were days when I would find 200 turtles attempting to cross , '' he told CNN . `` It was unreal . '' But what sounds unreal to some in Washington is the solution to the turtle trouble : $ 3.4 million in federal stimulus money to build a series of walls and tunnels under the highway so the turtles and other creatures do n't have to take on the cars and trucks roaring overhead . U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn , an Oklahoma Republican , highlighted the turtle crossing in a blistering report on what he called the 100 worst projects in the stimulus bill . `` They are wasteful projects , and most of us do n't want to steal money from our grandkids to do something that 's really stupid right now , '' he said . Members of the turtle contingent in Florida were less than thrilled to be singled out . `` You 've got 30 - to 40-pound box turtles as big as a manhole cover , and 12-foot alligators , '' said Leon County Commissioner Cliff Thaell . `` Now if Sen. Coburn was to drive his SUV speeding down Highway 27 -LSB- at -RSB- 60 miles per hour tonight and met one of those fellows , he would have an unpleasant encounter . '' But according to the White House , the stimulus money is all about jobs , not turtles . Thaell said he expected `` dozens '' of jobs to be created in the construction of the tunnels , but he could not be precise . The jobs that will last only as long as it takes to build the tunnels , and Aresco says he 'd rather get the money to help the turtles from other sources . But after years watching the creatures die , and trying to slow the carnage with makeshift fences , he says he 'll take the money wherever he can get it . | Biologist wants to end deaths of turtles on highway near Tallahassee , Florida . $ 3.4 million in federal money sought to build walls , tunnels to protect creatures . Report says the road work is among 100 worst projects in stimulus bill . But project supporters say jobs will be created , creatures and drivers will be safer . | [[200, 333], [748, 844], [1053, 1108], [1769, 1862]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Chicago , Illinois , nightclub accused of barring six African-American students last week will participate in a rally against discrimination late next month , the senior class president of Missouri 's Washington University said Wednesday . Fernando Cutz , 21 , said the group and Original Mother 's in Chicago 's Gold Coast neighborhood had reached an agreement that would also see the nightclub sponsoring four fundraisers and its managers attend diversity training classes . `` What we are looking to do is to turn this negative into a positive , '' the text of Cutz 's remarks said . `` To make sure that all of us learn from what happened to these six students in Chicago 10 days ago and that we move forward , together , in a productive manner . ... `` We would also like to show that the best way of fighting discrimination can be by reaching out and extending a helpful hand to those who need it , '' Cutz said at a news conference . The club has also agreed to a private apology to the six students and a public apology to the senior class , which was in Chicago for a two-day class trip . The students complained to state and federal agencies after six African-American members from their senior class trip celebration were denied admission to the club on October 17 . Bar personnel cited dress code violations -- specifically baggy jeans -- in barring the African-American students , Cutz said . At one point , a white student and a black student exchanged jeans to see what would happen . The white student was admitted while his classmate still was kept outside , Cutz said . After the students ' news conference , an attorney representing the club said the bar would be working with the students to fight discrimination and will issue an apology because they had a bad experience at Mother 's . But Brad Grayson said the club does not believe it discriminated against the group . `` There was no intention to admit white kids with baggy jeans and exclude black kids with baggy jeans , '' he told the Chicago Tribune newspaper . In his remarks Wednesday , Cutz said the students wanted to avoid being `` caught up in the hype '' of the situation and `` forget the values that we are truly fighting for . '' Mother 's representatives will speak at the rally , which will be held in in Chicago in late November , he said . The celebration at Original Mother 's had been arranged with the bar in advance by the student class board , which includes two of the African-American students who later were denied entry , Cutz said . He said he was already inside the bar with some 200 other students , none of whom are African-American , when the first group of African-American classmates arrived . Cutz said he quickly learned that the manager of the bar had denied the six students entry , and he said the manager told the students their baggy pants violated the bar 's dress code . Cutz , who is white , said he confronted the manager . `` These six -LSB- students -RSB- were better-dressed than I was , '' Cutz told CNN . He told the students to `` go back to the hotel and change . '' But the manager of the bar stepped in to say that he had made his decision and that the six men could not return to the bar even if they changed clothes , Cutz said . The students became `` more agitated '' and `` set up an experiment , '' Cutz said . Class Treasurer Regis Murayi , who is black , exchanged jeans with a white student , Jordan Roberts , who -- being 3 inches shorter than Murayi -- looked `` substantially baggy . '' Roberts approached the same manager who had turned away the African-American students , paid the entry fee and was allowed in , Cutz said . CNN 's Susan Candiotti and Ross Leavitt contributed to this report . | Club accused of barring black Washington University students from entering . Senior class president says bar will participate in rally . Managers will be sent to diversity training . Students want to `` turn this negative into a positive , '' president says . | [[42, 110], [2485, 2514], [2519, 2542], [287, 497], [527, 567], [506, 508], [530, 567]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Terrorists are likely to use a weapon of mass destruction somewhere in the world in the next five years , a blue-ribbon panel assembled by Congress has concluded . Police watch over travelers at New York 's Grand Central Terminal before Thanksgiving . They are more likely to use a biological weapon than a nuclear one -- and the results could be devastating , the chairman of the commission told CNN . `` The consequences of a biological attack are almost beyond comprehension . It would be 9/11 times 10 or a hundred in terms of the number of people who would be killed , '' former Sen. Bob Graham said . He cited the flu virus that killed millions of people in 1918 as an example . `` Today it is still in the laboratory , but if it should get out and into the hands of scientists who knew how to use it for a violent purpose , we could have multiple times the 40 million people who were killed 100 years ago , '' he said . Watch how officials worry about a biological terror attack '' The U.S. government `` needs to move more aggressively to limit '' the spread of biological weapons , the commission said in its report . Graham warned that such measures would be costly , but were necessary . `` The leadership of this country and the world will have to decide how much of a priority ... they place on avoiding the worst weapons in the world getting in the hands of the worst people in the world , '' he said . `` It is not going to be cheap . It is not going to be accomplished without some sacrifices . It wo n't be accomplished without putting this issue ahead of some other competing national and international goals . But I think our safety and security depend upon doing so , '' he added . Graham said a biological attack was more likely than a nuclear one because it would be easier to carry out . Biological weapons `` are more available , '' he said . `` Anthrax is a natural product of dead animals . Other serious pathogens are available in equally accessible forms . '' `` There are so many scientists who have the skills to convert a pathogen from benign , helpful purposes into an illicit , very harmful weapon , '' he added . But the commission warned that there is also a threat of nuclear terrorism , both because more countries are developing nuclear weapons and because some existing nuclear powers are expanding their arsenals . `` Terrorist organizations are intent on acquiring nuclear weapons , '' said the report , which was published Tuesday on the Internet and will be officially released Wednesday . CNN obtained a copy of the report Monday evening . It cited testimony before the commission from former Sen. Sam Nunn , who said that the `` risk of a nuclear weapon being used today is growing , not receding . '' The report recommends a range of measures , including increased security and awareness at biological research labs and strengthening international treaties against the spread of biological and nuclear weapons . `` Many biological pathogens and nuclear materials around the world are poorly secured -- and thus vulnerable to theft by those who would put these materials to harmful use , or would sell them on the black market to potential terrorists , '' the report warned . The commission expressed particular concern about the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea , and about Pakistan , which it described as `` the intersection of nuclear weapons and terrorism . '' While observing that Pakistan is a U.S. ally , the report said , `` the next terrorist attack against the United States is likely to originate from within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas '' in Pakistan . The tribal areas lie in northwest Pakistan where the government exerts little control ; the United States says it is a haven for militants from both Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan . Congress created the commission to investigate and report on WMD and terrorism in line with a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission , which compiled a report on the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks on the United States . Commissioners heard testimony from more than 250 experts from around the world over the course of their six-month investigation . CNN 's Jeanne Meserve contributed to this report . | NEW : Next terror attack on U.S. likely to originate in Pakistan tribal areas , report says . Terrorists with biological weapons could kill millions , panel 's chairman says . Biological attack more likely than nuclear attack , report says . Number of nations with nuclear weapons also growing , panel says . | [[3514, 3660], [3449, 3493], [3496, 3511], [3515, 3660], [391, 432], [282, 348], [1732, 1798], [1744, 1840]] |
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