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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An anti-abortion activist charged with gunning down a Wichita , Kansas , doctor can not use the `` necessity defense '' at trial , a judge ruled Tuesday . Scott Roeder , 51 , is set to stand trial January 11 on one count of first-degree murder in the death of Dr. George Tiller , who was shot to death at his church May 31 . Tiller ran a women 's clinic in which he performed abortions . Tiller , 67 , was one of the few U.S. doctors who performed late-term abortions . He had already survived one attempt on his life before he was slain . Under a necessity defense , a defendant argues an action was justified because breaking the law was more advantageous to society than following it . Several anti-abortion activists facing criminal charges have attempted to use the defense but none has been successful . In an Associated Press interview last month , Roeder admitted killing Tiller and said he plans to argue at this trial that the shooting was justified . `` Because of the fact preborn children 's lives were in imminent danger , this was the action I chose , '' he said . '' ... I want to make sure that the focus is , of course , obviously on the preborn children and the necessity to defend them . '' Roeder 's comments prompted prosecutors to file a motion asking Sedgwick County Judge Warren Wilbert to bar Roeder 's attorneys from using the defense . Wilbert noted that the Kansas Supreme Court , in a previous case regarding blocking entrance to an abortion clinic , ruled the necessity defense can not be used when the harm the defendant claims to be avoiding through his or her actions is a constitutional and legal activity , and the defendant broke the law . That precedent , Wilbert said , required him to rule that the necessity defense is not a viable defense in Kansas or in the Roeder case . Defense attorney Mark Rudy pointed out to Wilbert that the defense team has not yet acknowledged what their tactic might be . Roeder , however , filed a 100-page motion on his own behalf , Sedgwick County District Attorney Nola Foulston said Tuesday , on the necessity defense , acknowledging it previously has been unsuccessful . Prosecutors also asked Wilbert to bar Roeder 's attorneys from claiming his alleged actions were justified because he used force in the defense of another -- the unborn . Wilbert said that would require further argument -- particularly an offering from defense attorneys regarding the evidence they plan to present in support of that premise at trial . `` I will leave the door open on the issues surrounding use of force in defense of another , '' the judge said , adding he does not mean it 's `` wide open . '' Under the law , such a defense can only be used if a defendant was preventing unlawful conduct . Foulston argued that Tiller posed no threat that would justify his shooting . `` Dr. Tiller was not an aggressor , '' she said . Roeder is also charged with two counts of aggravated assault for threatening two church members . Dressed in a coat and tie , he conferred with his attorneys and listened intently to the arguments on Tuesday . In a June interview with CNN 's Ted Rowlands , Roeder would not admit that he killed Tiller , but said that if he is convicted , `` the entire motive was the defense of the unborn . '' Roeder 's attorneys also argued Tuesday that the trial should be moved outside Wichita because extensive pretrial publicity in the case could have tainted the jury pool . Foulston , meanwhile , noted that Roeder , who has talked often to the media , brought some of that publicity on himself . Wilbert said 300 jury summonses have gone out in the case , and he was optimistic that some impartial jurors could be found . However , he said he would revisit the issue later if the court experienced difficulty in picking jurors . Rudy also asked that the judge prohibit prosecutors from excluding potential jurors because they have anti-abortion beliefs . The judge said he was confident that some individuals who are anti-abortion would still be able to make an impartial decision , but suggested the issue be examined on a juror-by-juror basis if the court recognizes a pattern of exclusion during jury selection . `` I ca n't make a pretrial ruling and just make a broad-brush approach , '' he said . | Scott Roeder is accused of first-degree murder in the death of Dr. George Tiller . Tiller was one of the few U.S. doctors who performed late-term abortions . Necessity defense : Defendant argues breaking the law is better for society than following it . Judge bars Roeder from using the necessity defense in the doctor 's slaying . | [[174, 186], [189, 296], [432, 452], [457, 488], [559, 584], [587, 707], [92, 147], [150, 173]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A new witness in the disappearance of British girl Madeleine McCann has told investigators he talked with a `` Victoria Beckham look-a-like '' who may have revealed clues about the girl 's fate , a family spokesman said Thursday . Sketch shows woman who may hold new clues to disappearance of Madeleine McCann . Investigators would not release what was said in the conversation but the clues have led police to try to find the woman . Madeleine vanished from the family 's holiday villa at the Portuguese beach resort of Praia da Luz in May 2007 as her parents , Kate and Gerry McCann , dined in a nearby restaurant . She was 3 years old at the time . The suspicious woman was seen outside a bar in Barcelona , Spain , by partygoers on May 7 , 2007 , and the new witness had a conversation with this woman , said McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell . Watch McCann spokesman describe new lead '' Authorities released a sketch of the person , described as a woman who spoke with an Australian accent and who could also speak fluent Spanish . Former detective inspector Dave Edgar , who was hired by the McCann family , called the new witness a significant movement in the case . Edgar would not say why the witness waited so long to come forward , stating only it was personal reasons . Mitchell described the woman they are looking for as similar in appearance to the former Spice Girl singer and wife of soccer star David Beckham . She was described as in her 30s and about 5 feet 2 inches tall . Madeleine 's parents have garnered international support in an effort to find their daughter , enlisting the aid of celebrities and even Pope Benedict XVI . At one point , authorities in Portugal had named the girl 's parents as suspects , along with a British man living in Portugal , Robert Murat . But a spokesman for the Portuguese public prosecutor 's office said in July 2008 that authorities found no evidence of involvement by any of the three and were no longer considering them suspects . Portuguese investigators closed the case in July 2008 . | Investigators would not release specific details of new clues . Madeleine McCann vanished from holiday villa in Portugal in May 2007 . Madeleine 's parents have garnered international support in hunt for their child . | [[471, 581], [1539, 1608], [1539, 1559], [1634, 1695]] |
MADRID , Spain -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man died after being gored in the neck during the annual running of the bulls in Pamplona , Spain , the Navarra regional government said Friday on its Web site . Runners take part in the running of the bulls in Pamplona , Spain on July 9 . The death would be the first in the running of the bulls since a 22-year-old American was gored to death in 1995 . The latest victim was a Spanish man , Daniel Jimeno Romero , age 27 , from the Madrid area who was vacationing in Pamplona with his family , CNN partner station CNN + reported from the hospital , where authorities identified him . He was rushed to the hospital in cardiac arrest and underwent surgery but died soon after , said the statement from the regional government , whose capital is Pamplona . Watch man try to scramble away from bull '' Amateur video footage showed the victim falling to the ground toward the end of race , just before the entrance to the bullring , and apparently being gored in the neck . Three other runners were gored and suffered less serious injuries on Friday , and six others went to the hospital with bruises or other injuries , the Navarra government said . Emergency workers and ambulances line the route to quickly attend those who fall . Do you think this tradition should be banned ? The run in Pamplona started 400 years ago and became popular worldwide after author Ernest Hemingway wrote about it in the 1920s in his book `` The Sun Also Rises , '' also published under the title `` Fiesta . '' The event is held July 7-14 . Six bulls and a pack of tame steers run from the corrals , through Pamplona 's old town , to the bullring -- where the bulls will die later in the day in a bullfight . Including the recent death , 14 people have been killed in the runs since 1924 , when record-keeping began . | Victim was a 27-year-old Spanish man from the Madrid area . Tragedy happened during annual running of the bulls in Pamplona , Spain . Death the first since 22-year-old American was gored to death in 1995 . | [[0, 6], [9, 30], [40, 125], [339, 390]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For almost a week , tens of thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets in daily protests -- handkerchiefs shielding their faces from the pungency of tear gas , fists punching the air , and chants of `` Down with the dictator '' echoing against buildings . Moussovi supporters rally Wednesday in Tehran , Iran . Released by Fars News Agency of Iran . The massive outpouring is a result of a disputed presidential election that the protesters think coronated the incumbent hard-liner , President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , over their candidate , Mir Hossain Moussavi . Context can help put their grievances into perspective : . Q . The Iran that we know today is the result of the Islamic Revolution . What is it ? A . The Islamic Revolution is the name given to the Iranian revolution of 1979 , when the ruling U.S.-supported monarchy was overthrown and Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was forced into exile . See timeline of recent Iranian history '' The country held a national referendum to become an Islamic republic and approve a new constitution . The constitution was a hybrid of democracy and unelected religious leadership . It appointed Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini -- the leader of the revolution -- the supreme leader of the country . Before he died in 1989 , he made it known that he wanted Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to succeed him . Q. Is it true that the ultimate power in Iran lies with Khamenei ? A. Yes . The supreme leader has the final say in all important matters of the country , such as ties with foreign nations or Iran 's nuclear aspirations . He appoints the Guardian Council -- the country 's election authority . He also appoints key posts in the intelligence services and the armed forces , including the powerful Revolutionary Guard . Additionally , he confirms the president 's election . In theory , the supreme leader is appointed by a body of clerics whom voters elect . But in practice , this body -- the Assembly of Experts -- has answered to the supreme leader . Khamenei , 70 , was appointed supreme leader for life in 1989 . Q . What is the Guardian Council , which has been in the news , saying it will recount some of the votes in the disputed election ? A . The unelected Guardian Council is the second-most influential body in Iran politics . It consists of six theologians whom the supreme leader picks and six jurists nominated by the judiciary and approved by parliament . The council approves all candidates running for office in the country , and verifies election results . It vetoes bills passed by the parliament if they do not conform to the constitution and Islamic law . In the present crisis , opposition leader Moussavi has had to take his grievance to the Guardian Council . It has agreed to some vote recounts . See galleries of protests in Iran '' Q. So , how much power does the president wield ? A . It depends on how nicely he plays with the Guardian Council . The president is elected by direct vote to a four-year term , for a maximum of two terms . He is responsible for economic policy and social programs , but most of the larger decisions are made by the supreme leader . In theory , his powers are second to the supreme leader 's . But in practice , he is often hamstrung by the Guardian Council . The Guardian Council has worked with hard-liner Ahmadinejad , a 53-year-old former mayor of Tehran who was elected in 2005 . But it thwarted reform attempts by his predecessor , Mohammad Khatami . Q . What is the Revolutionary Guard , who said they will take legal action against pro-Moussavi Web sites ? A . The guard was initially created to protect the leaders of the revolution . But over the years , it has broadened its scope . Today , it is directly under the control of the supreme leader and enforces the governments ' Islamic codes and morality . With more than 200,000 members , it is tasked with overseeing the country 's crucial interests , including guarding its oil fields and missile arsenals . Q . What is the Basij , who are said to be behind most of the violence against opposition supporters ? A . The Basij is a volunteer paramilitary force that takes orders from the Revolutionary Guard . It plays the role of de facto morality police and is often summoned to crack down on protests . It is unknown how large the force is , though estimates are in the millions . Q . What evidence is there of ballot fraud ? A . There are no concrete examples of fraud , because independent monitors did not oversee polling in Iran , but the circumstantial evidence is persuasive . The government had initially said it would take three days to verify the ballots after Election Day on June 12 . But the election authority proclaimed Ahmadinejad the winner two hours after the polls closed . At the same time , the interior ministry said that 85 percent of the country 's 46 million eligible voters had cast ballots -- a record turnout . To many , so many ballots could not have been hand-counted in such a short time . Also , the published results showed that Ahmadinejad won even in his opponents ' strongholds , including Moussavi 's hometown of ethnic Azeri Turks . `` This is the equivalent of Barack Obama losing the African-American vote to John McCain in 2008 , '' said Karim Sajadpour of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace . Furthermore , Moussavi went into the election with massive support from the country 's youth , who were unhappy with the faltering economy and an unemployment rate that tops 30 percent by some accounts . The youth make up 60 percent of Iran 's population of 70 million . Q. Is it true that Ahmadinejad still enjoys widespread support ? A. Yes . Ahmadinejad is popular across Iran 's rural areas and among the Basij militia . He presents himself as a populist and a fighter . He has paid attention to the families of the bloody Iran-Iraq war , offering special preferences to veterans ' children in university admissions . As president , his hardline approach has won him support among the Guardian Council . He has earned a reputation internationally as a fundamentalist for his Holocaust denials , calls to annihilate Israel , and cat-and-mouse games with the United States and the United Nations over Iran 's nuclear activities . Many in the establishment view him as someone who does not cower to big-footing by the West . Q. Why , then , do some analysts think the vote was manipulated ? A . Some experts say that even if it is likely that Ahmadinejad won the election , it is unlikely he could have won by the margin the government is claiming -- 62.63 percent of the vote . Time magazine 's Joe Klein explains it this way : `` It is entirely possible that Ahmadinejad would have won anyway , but narrowly , perhaps with less than 50 percent of the vote , setting up a runoff election he might have lost as the other candidates united against him . It is possible that his government , perhaps acting in concert with supreme leader Ayatullah Ali Khamenei , decided to take no chances . '' Q . Why is Iran 's population so young ? A . After the revolution , the leaders encouraged early marriage and large families , rewarding families with cars and television sets for each additional child . During the country 's devastating eight-year war with Iraq , which began in 1980 , the regime continued encouraging population growth , because more children meant more future soldiers . It is those children who are now coming of age . Q . Why did Iran summon Switzerland 's ambassador to complain about perceived U.S. involvement in Iran 's election process ? A . The United States cut diplomatic ties with Iran following the hostage crisis in 1979 , when students in support of the Islamic Revolution took 52 Americans hostage and held them for 444 days . Q. Is this movement a challenge to the Islamic republic ? A . The demonstrators say their demand is simple : Hold fresh elections . They say they are not out to challenge the Islamic regime . Watch protests Wednesday in Tehran '' Furthermore , Moussavi is an unlikely man for the job . Though the 67-year-old former prime minister is credited for successfully navigating the Iranian economy as prime minister during the Iran-Iraq war , he also was a hard-liner whom the Economist described as a `` firm radical . '' He , like most Iranians in power , does not believe in the existence of Israel . He defended the taking of the American hostages in 1979 . He was part of a regime that regularly executed dissidents . And as late as April , he opposed suspending the country 's nuclear-enrichment program but said it would not be diverted to weapons use . The protests have exposed a fissure in the country , however , with tens of thousands of Ahmadinejad backers taking to the streets in a show of force of their own . Q. Are the current protests likely to continue ? A. For now , the government seems to be allowing the populace to vent pent-up frustrations . But it also is gradually cracking down , such as blocking Web sites and banning international journalists from filming the rallies . The demonstrations have so far been focused on urban areas . Should the populace in rural areas take up the call for reform , the government might step in quickly to quash the protests , analysts say . See map of demonstration sites in Tehran '' Q. Is this the first time Iranians have risen up in mass protests against the regime ? A. No . Iran has twice seen public calls for reform in recent years : in 1999 , after the closing of a reformist newspaper , and after parliamentary elections in 2000 . On both occasions , the Revolutionary Guard descended on the streets after a few days and crushed the movements . Q. So , can true reform come to Iran ? A . It is possible . Ahmadinejad 's predecessor , Khatami , was elected president in 1997 by a landslide , despite being a reformer . During his two terms , he championed freedom of expression , tried to mend diplomatic relations , and supported a free market . He was , however , hamstrung at every step by stiff resistance from the supreme leader and the Guardian Council . This report includes information from various sources , including the U.S. State Department , the CIA Factbook , Human Rights Watch , Amnesty International , previous CNN reports and guest commentaries . | Protests have followed disputed presidential election results in Iran . President Ahmadinejad is popular across Iran 's rural areas , among Basij militia . Protesters say not out to challenge the Islamic regime , just want fresh vote . Iran previously saw protests , public calls for reform in 1999 and 2000 . | [[374, 505], [5597, 5661], [5671, 5750], [7914, 7973], [9417, 9431], [9437, 9476], [9417, 9421], [9432, 9476]] |
Hamid Dabashi is the author of `` Iran : A People Interrupted . '' He is Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University in New York . His Web site is http://www.hamiddabashi.com/ . Hamid Dabashi says it 's wrong to view the conflict in Iran as a battle of the middle class vs. the poor . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In a short essay that Abbas Amanat , a scholar of 19th-century Iran at Yale University , was asked to write for The New York Times on the current crisis in Iran , he asserted that what we are witnessing is `` the rise of a new middle class whose demands stand in contrast to the radicalism of the incumbent President -LSB- Mahmoud -RSB- Ahmadinejad and the core conservative values of the clerical elite , which no doubt has the backing of a religiously conservative sector of the population . '' This learned position of a leading scholar very much sums up the common wisdom that Iranian expatriate academics are offering an excited public mesmerized by the massive demonstrations they witness on their television sets or computer screens and eager to have someone make sense of them . In part because of these hurried interpretations , the movement that is unfolding in front of our eyes is seen as basically a middle-class uprising against a retrograde theocracy that is banking on backward , conservative and uneducated masses who do not know any better . While the illiterate and `` uncouth '' masses provide the populist basis of Ahmadinejad 's support , the middle class is demanding an open-market civil society . Highly educated , pro-Western and progressive Iranians are thus placed on Mir Hossein Moussavi 's side , while backward villagers and urban poor are on Ahmadinejad 's . The fact that in North America and Western Europe , usually unveiled and fluently English-speaking women are brought to speak on behalf of the women demonstrators further intensifies the impression that if women are veiled or do not speak English fluently then they must be Ahmadinejad supporters . This is a deeply false dichotomy that projects a flawed picture to the outside world . It is predicated on the spin that a very limited pool of expatriate academics are putting on a movement that is quite extraordinary in Iranian political culture , one whose full dimensions have yet to be unpacked . The fact is that given the structural limitations of a nascent democracy that is being crushed and buried in Iran under a particular interpretation of a Shiite juridical citadel , opposition to Ahmadinejad is fractured into the followers of three candidates with deeply divided economic programs and political positions . Moussavi is universally known as a hard-core socialist in his economic platform and a social reformist in his politics . Mehdi Karrubi is far to Moussavi 's right in his economic neo-liberalism and social conservatism . Mohsen Rezaie , meanwhile , is even more to the right of Karrubi in his social conservatism but to his left in his economic platform . What above all challenges the reading of this event as a middle-class revolt against `` uncouth radicalism '' is a crucial statistic that professor Djavad Salehi-Isfahani , one of the most reliable Iranian economists in the U.S. , provides in the same set of responses that The New York Times solicited from experts . `` Young people ages 15-29 , '' Salehi-Isfahani reports , `` make up 35 percent of the population but account for 70 percent of the unemployed . '' The overwhelming majority of the people pouring into streets of Tehran and other major cities in support of Moussavi are precisely these 15 - to 29-year-olds . How could this then be a middle-class uprising if the overwhelming majority of those who are supporting it and putting their lives on the line are in fact jobless 15 - to 29-year-olds who still live with their parents -- who can not even afford to rent an apartment , let alone marry and raise a family and join the middle class in a principally oil-based economy that is not labor-intensive to begin with ? Another crucial statistic that Salehi-Isfahani does not cite is the fact that more than 63 percent of university entrants in Iran are women , but only 12 percent are part of the labor force . That means that the remaining 51 percent are out of a job , and yet the most visible aspect of these anti-Ahmadinejad demonstrations is that women visibly outnumber men . How could jobless men and women be participating in a massive middle-class uprising against their `` uncouth '' leaders ? If we were to look closely at Moussavi 's campaign commercials , his social and economic platforms since he entered the race , and the presidential debates with all the other candidates , we see that a sizable component of his supporters are indeed university students , young faculty and the urban intellectual elite -- such as filmmakers , artists and the literati . But the fact is that a major constituency of Moussavi is also the urban poor and particularly the war veterans who have no respect for Ahmadinejad , believing he had an inglorious war record , but are full of unsurpassed admiration for Moussavi because of his role as a fiercely dedicated prime minister during the Iran-Iraq war -LRB- 1980-1988 -RRB- . Conversely , there is a significant segment of the traditional middle class , the bazaaris , that is in fact the beneficiaries of Ahmadinejad 's economic policies of governmentally subsidized commodities and services , and thus supports him . As for the `` uncouth '' among the Iranian peasantry , Eric Hooglund , a senior scholar of Iran with decades of experience in rural areas , has recently said that when he hears reports that Ahmadinejad 's support base is rural , he is left quite baffled . `` Is it possible that rural Iran , '' he asks pointedly , `` where less than 35 percent of the country 's population lives , provided Ahmadinejad the 63 percent of the vote he claims to have won ? That would contradict my own research in Iran 's villages over the past 30 years , including just recently . '' The fact is that we really do n't know how this uprising is going to pan out , and yet we seem to be in too much of a rush to assimilate it backward to inherited assumptions that may have lost their validity in face of this new reality . I am convinced that we are witness to something quite extraordinary , perhaps even a social revolution that is overriding its economic roots . Although there are many similarities , this is a much different event than the 1977-1979 Islamic Revolution . I am not sure that this movement either sees itself as a revolution or will actually transmute into one . Given the brutality it faces , it has no choice but opt for a nonviolent civil disobedience route . The age of ideological warfare is over in Iran . If anything , this momentum is the closest event in Iran to the civil rights movement of the 1960s in the United States , and precisely like that movement , its economic dimensions are couched in social demands . We need to adjust our lenses and languages in order to see better , and there is no better adjustment than just cautiously , hopefully and responsibly watching what is unfolding in front of us and reading it accordingly . This movement is ahead of our inherited politics , floating ideologies or mismatched theories . We need to sit back , hope for the best and let this inspirational movement of a whole new generation of hope teach us courage and humility . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Hamid Dabashi . | Hamid Dabashi : Some are depicting Iran conflict as a battle of middle class vs. poor . Dabashi : Mir Hossein Moussavi draws support from wider group than middle class . He says it 's wrong to say Mahmoud Ahmadinejad supporters are poor , rural Iranians . Dabashi says best parallel may be to the U.S. civil rights movement of 1960s . | [[229, 335], [248, 320], [1142, 1190], [1193, 1320], [5563, 5576], [5648, 5660], [5666, 5734], [5563, 5576], [5661, 5763], [6834, 6939]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Despite his threats of `` consequences '' and the subsequent beatings and shooting deaths by government agents , the open protests on Iran 's streets by hundreds of thousands of people have dented the shield of invincibility of Iran 's Supreme religious Leader , Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , say sources in Iran . Riot police patrol a Tehran street earlier this week . Chants of `` Death to Khamenei '' broke a state-imposed , and a self-imposed absolute prohibition on criticizing a leader believed to be wielding the wisdom and authority of God himself . But right now , the massive network of Iran 's intelligence agents , Revolutionary Guard , paramilitary Basij , and police of all sorts , are cracking down . Sources say they are also going house to house , through email accounts and web postings , through cell phone calls and SMS text messages -LRB- when the system is allowed to stay up -RRB- and even to taxi agencies whose drivers hoisted Mir Hossein Moussavi posters during the election campaign . They are rounding people up and , as it was chillingly put to me , in Iran 's prisons `` we have room for all of them . '' In addition protestors are being paraded `` confessing and repenting '' on Iranian state TV . The government also claims to be arresting `` foreign agents '' accused of stirring up the protests . Sources say the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps -LRB- IRGC -RRB- , aligned with Ayatollah Khamenei , plucked Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from total obscurity as presidential candidate in 2005 , in order to hold the line against `` reform '' in the country after eight years of the reformist president Mohammad Khatami . Sources in the Iranian government and well-placed analysts inside the country Say the IRGC has taken up influential positions in many major sectors of Iranian society , such as the oil industry , finance , transport , construction and other businesses and politics . Iran has been `` increasingly radicalized over the last four years , '' one told me . While there are divisions within the clerical establishment and in parliament , sources tell me that for now that does not threaten the ruling establishment . I was told the weekend arrests of former president Hashemi Rafsanjani 's daughter and other relatives , and their swift release , were a warning to Rafsanjani , who backed Moussavi in the election . So far the powerful mullahs , monitoring it all from the holy city of Qom , are mostly quiet . And finally , for now , while Moussavi has startled the system with his willingness to press the election case , he is also considered , at this moment , no Ayatollah Khomeini . Nowhere near as charismatic and powerful as the leader of the successful revolution in 1979 . Sources say Moussavi is not formally arrested or under house arrest . However his movements and words are `` controlled '' by security and intelligence officials . So in effect there is no visible leader for the street protesters today -- unlike 1979 , when Khomeini led from exile . Sources say all this could change if mass demonstrations hit the streets and simply remain there all over the country , if the security forces refuse to expand the crackdown , or if people go on nationwide strike , like they did in 1978-79 . As long as the streets and squares remain blanketed by security , they are mostly clear of protesters . Right now , chants of Allahu-Akbar still resound from the rooftops at night . Although residents say they seem to be dying down in some neighborhoods . Even the honking horns and flashing headlights are fading from the traffic . At this moment , however , it is impossible to know how this contest of wills -- and powers -- will play out . | Amanpour : Ayatollah 's credibility dented by huge street protests in Iran . Sources say security forces are monitoring activists ' emails , SMS messages . Iran : Intelligence officials could lose their control in face of mass protests . | [[132, 279], [307, 328], [730, 867]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A former Iranian presidential candidate is calling on one of the Islamic republic 's most powerful clerics to approve a special committee to investigate alleged mistreatment of detainees arrested in the aftermath of the disputed presidential elections . Mehdi Karrubi says an `` impartial committee '' is needed to investigate alleged mistreatment of detainees . In an open letter to Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani posted Saturday on his party 's Web site , reformist Mehdi Karrubi says an `` impartial committee '' is needed to `` investigate these tragedies with transparency until they are resolved . '' He said he is willing to lead the investigation in a `` truthful , unbiased fashion . '' The letter is dated July 29 and was posted on the Karrubi 's Eetemade-Melli -LRB- National Trust -RRB- party 's Web site , called Saham News . The Web site said the letter was posted after Rafsanjani failed to respond . The treatment of detainees at Iran 's prisons has increasingly become a high profile issue , with human-rights groups accusing guards of conducting harsh interrogations , beatings , sleep deprivation , and threats of torture to coerce false confessions . Iranian media reported that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , Iran 's supreme leader , ordered one prison , Kahrizak , shut down amid reports it did not measure up to the required standards . Kahrizak 's chief was fired and arrested over allegations of detainee mistreatment , according to local reports Saturday . A special parliamentary committee has made rounds at Tehran 's Evin prison , but did not find any signs of abuse , according to recent media reports . Hundreds of detainees have since been reportedly released from Evin , though `` political figures '' were held and put on trial . In his plea for an investigation , Karrubi says he has heard descriptions of torture and violence that make his `` body shake , '' though he does n't specify a prison . `` Some of the former detainees have told of such brutal and violent , repeated rapes of the young women -LSB- in detention -RSB- that have caused irreparable damage to their reproductive systems , '' Karrubi says in the letter . `` Others have raped our detained young men with such brutality that they -LSB- the victims -RSB- have been afflicted by depression and are no longer speaking with anyone and refuse to leave the dark corners of their houses . '' He adds that an investigation will `` teach a lesson to the thugs and criminals in the future and prevent the smearing of the reputation of the Islamic Republic . '' Rafsanjani -- a former president and head of the Assembly of Experts , the council responsible for appointing or removing the supreme leader -- called for the release of the detainees during a highly anticipated July 17 sermon at Friday prayers . He backed Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi in the presidential election , in which hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the overwhelming winner . Karrubi and Moussavi unsuccessfully challenged the results for weeks , and Ahmadinejad was sworn in for his second term last week . Rafsanjani himself has been accused of helping fuel the post-election unrest as part of recent mass trials of the remaining detainees over the past week . | Mehdi Karrubi calls for investigation in letter to Rafsanjani posted on Web site . He said he is willing to lead the investigation in a `` truthful , unbiased fashion '' Karrubi sites brutal beatings , torture and rapes of both men and women detained . Mehdi Karrubi was one of the candidates in June 's disputed presidential election . | [[396, 486], [396, 445], [489, 608], [727, 737], [752, 847], [1789, 1821], [1824, 1886], [287, 395], [638, 723], [646, 723], [1045, 1146], [1789, 1821], [1824, 1886], [1958, 1989], [2029, 2087], [2188, 2251]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was once a student revolutionary himself , perhaps not much different from the thousands of protesters who this week have taken to the streets in Iran . Ayatollah Ali Khamenei became a political activist while a religious scholar studying under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini . Khamenei became a political activist while a religious scholar studying under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini , among others , according to his biography on his official Web site . He was part of a circle of clerics who opposed the rule of the shah of Iran , Mohammed Reza Pahlavi , and was jailed by the shah 's secret police , the Savak , at least six times in the 1960s and 1970s . He says he was tortured in prison before being exiled in 1976 , three years before the revolution that deposed the shah . Khomeini was in exile in Paris , France , when the shah fled Iran in 1979 . He appointed Khamenei to represent him on an Islamic Revolutionary Council , alongside other key figures such as Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani . The appointment may have been a career-making moment for Khamenei , who was a fairly low-level scholar at the time , said Iran analyst Shireen Hunter , a visiting scholar at Georgetown University in Washington . Learn more about Iran 's recent history . `` He is not qualified to be an ayatollah , '' or top-ranking Islamic scholar , she said , saying he had picked up the title by dint of succeeding Khomeini as supreme leader , `` like an honorary doctorate . '' Khamenei , now 70 , was briefly minister of defense and head of Iran 's Revolutionary Guards in the early 1980s before becoming president , a post he held from 1982 to 1990 . In power , he clashed ideologically with Rafsanjani , favoring a more left-wing politics than Rafsanjani , who came from a more bourgeois background than the poor Khamenei . He also locked horns with the man who was prime minister when he was president -- Mir Hossein Moussavi , now the most prominent opposition leader . The two had similar anti-American , left-wing politics but struggled over power in what Hunter called `` the two-headed monster '' that was then the Iranian political structure . `` There were turf battles between the president and the prime minister , '' she said . Khomeini died in 1989 , and Khamenei was appointed the next supreme leader . The post of prime minister was abolished . Rafsanjani seems to have been a `` kingmaker '' in the elevation of Khamenei to the top job , Hunter said , perhaps thinking he would be the power behind the throne . But with time , Khamenei has become his own man , she said . Rafsanjani was president in the 1990s , but lost a comeback attempt in 2005 -- defeated by current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad . As supreme leader , Khamenei is the ultimate arbiter of policy in Iran . He appoints the Guardian Council , the country 's election authority . He also appoints key posts in the intelligence services and the armed forces , including the powerful Revolutionary Guard . Additionally , he confirms the president 's election . In theory , the supreme leader is appointed by a body of clerics whom voters elect . But in practice , this body -- the Assembly of Experts -- has answered to the supreme leader . Khamenei 's authority has been challenged at times . Nearly half the members of Iran 's parliament criticized him openly in 2004 for ordering general elections to go ahead despite a widespread belief that they would not be free or fair . The elections took place as scheduled . Khamenei supports the country 's controversial nuclear program , and when President Obama reached out directly to the people of Iran with a video message , it was Khamenei who responded . Khamenei said in March he saw no change in U.S. policy toward Iran despite Obama 's promise of a `` new beginning . '' He said a change in rhetoric was not enough , and Washington must practice what it preaches , according to the English-language Press TV channel in Iran . He hailed the disputed Iranian presidential election as `` a miracle '' for the record turnout , but that very public enthusiasm for the election may signal a shift that Khamenei failed to anticipate . `` He has now very much become his own man , but the country has changed , '' Hunter said . `` Look at the women 's situation . They make a big deal out of saying how many women they have educated . That is true , but then you can not expect them to keep doing things the same way . '' | Post on Islamic Revolutionary Council may have been career-making . Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was minister of defense , head of Iran 's Revolutionary Guards . Mir Hossein Moussavi was prime minister when Khamenei was president . | [[1073, 1138], [1538, 1546], [1558, 1675]] |
Editor 's note : John Feehery worked as a staffer for former House Speaker Dennis Hastert and other Republicans in Congress . He is president of Feehery Group , a Washington-based advocacy firm that has represented clients including the News Corp. , Ford Motor Co. and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce . He formerly was a government relations executive vice president for the Motion Picture Association of America . John Feehery says Al Franken 's victory gives liberal Democrats a dominant position in Washington . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The metric system is the kind of thing that you can expect from the 60-vote filibuster-proof majority Democrats now have in the United States Senate . After the Watergate scandal in 1974 , Democrats trounced Republicans in the mid-term elections , getting 61 seats in the Senate and 291 in the House . In the Senate , they adjusted the rules to make it harder for Republicans to filibuster -LRB- reducing the magic number from 67 to 60 to invoke cloture , which ends debate -RRB- . In the House , they passed all kinds of reforms to take power away from senior members and give it to junior members . And Congress mandated that the American people embrace the metric system . The metric system idea never really caught on , and although the pain of Watergate afflicted Republicans for another two elections , they eventually pulled themselves out of their deep hole , with some good ideas and a charismatic leader , who promised to restore America to greatness . Democrats have once again reached the magic number of 60 , as Norm Coleman finally threw in the towel against the one-time joke writer for Saturday Night Live , Al Franken . Republicans have little reason to laugh , though , as they look at their diminished ranks and wonder how they have put themselves in such a weakened position . It was only four-and-a-half years ago that the GOP was on the top of the world , and some of their more smug strategists were confidently predicting a permanent Republican majority . This is a good time for such self-reflection . Republicans lost three top-notch senators in the last election -- Norm Coleman , Gordon Smith and John Sununu -- who lost not because they were bad senators , or because they had scandals , or because they had lost touch with constituents . All three lost because they were Republicans . In other words , the brand killed them . And if you look at the latest polls , the GOP brand has n't gotten any better in the last six months . In fact , according to Gallup , even 38 percent of Republicans have a negative view of the Republican Party . But let 's not throw in the towel yet , my Republican friends . Just as in the mid-1970s , when Democratic overreach led to a Republican resurgence , the house that Franken has built will inevitably collapse on its own leftward-self . A new Gallup poll shows that the American people are starting to catch on that Democrats are pushing the country to a place that it does n't want to go . The poll `` finds a statistically significant increase since last year in the percentage of Americans who describe the Democratic Party 's views as being `` too liberal , '' from 39 percent to 46 percent . This is the largest percentage saying so since November 1994 , after the party 's losses in that year 's midterm elections . '' It is no surprise that Americans would have that impression of Democrats in the White House and in Congress . When they passed a so-called stimulus bill that Republicans branded as pork-filled , they lost their credibility on fiscal responsibility . When the president assumed control over General Motors , dictated terms to Chrysler , and then refused to allow some banks to pay back their TARP loans , independent voters grew nervous about the government 's stepped-up intervention in the private sector . And last week , when Democrats passed a climate change bill that Republicans insist will sharply raise energy prices for middle-class families , moderate Democrats started to jump ship . In fact , 44 Democrats defied intense pressure from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , and voted no . Democrats are now making plans to intervene in the health care marketplace , with some liberals insisting on a government-run `` public option '' health insurer . In any event , many wo n't be satisfied until the government basically sets prices for health insurance and prescription drugs . The arrival of the man from Minnesota will make the Democrats move even more to the left . He will not only be one more vote for the left , but one more loud voice for liberal policies . Because of his celebrity status , he will attract media attention , and because of his philosophy , he will use that attention to move Democrats further left . When Franken first started in politics , he did so as the liberal answer to Rush Limbaugh . Imagine if Rush were the 60th vote for Republicans , with George Bush as president . Now , think how Franken will act as the 60th vote for President Obama . Yes , Democrats will move left by more than a few kilometers , but they will do so at their own peril . Another poll showed that while 40 percent of Americans identify themselves as conservative , only 21 percent think of themselves as liberal . The American people voted for change . They did n't vote for a liberal orthodoxy that promises more government , higher taxes , slower growth , more pork and a liberal social agenda . In 1975 , the newly dominant Democratic Congress sent President Gerald Ford a bill that declared that America was going to be metric , which he signed . When Jimmy Carter became president two years later , he signed a law that told Americans that they could n't drive faster than 55 mph . These measures made perfect sense to the liberal sensibilities of the time . But they did n't make sense to the American people , and are symbols of a philosophy that was out of touch with the people in the 1970s and is still out of touch with the lives of most Americans today . Most Americans still do n't use the metric system , and most certainly do n't stick to the 55 mile an hour speed limit on the highways of America . And while they may still like Barack Obama and still laugh at jokes written by Al Franken , they will eventually grow weary of the newly dominant liberals who now run Washington . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John Feehery . | Feehery : With Franken as 60th vote in Senate , liberals dominant in D.C. He says liberal control in 1970s led to bill to convert U.S. to metric system . Feehery says Democrats are overreaching and will lose public 's support . He says voters wanted change but not bigger government . | [[412, 511], [430, 511], [6276, 6303], [6308, 6328], [5248, 5286]] |
DIR VALLEY , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The rugged beauty of the expansive Dir Valley can mask the detail of what is happening on the ground . Pakistani soldiers look on from a mountain during a patrol in the troubled area of Maidan . In June , the Pakistani military organized a media tour to areas of the Lower Dir in North West Frontier Province that were under their control . The town of Maidan had been at the center of fierce fighting between Pakistan 's military forces and militants . Tension was visible on the faces of those escorting us . The IED -LRB- improvised explosive device -RRB- craters in the road and the bullet holes in our unarmed pickup trucks explained why . The direct fighting had stopped some days before , after opposition forces were reported killed or they disappeared into the surrounding hills and among the population . Under the watchful eye of government forces , anxious local residents were starting to return . A Pakistani army spokesperson now tells us that all of those who fled the town due to the fighting have returned home . They have a lot of rebuilding to do . Most of the structures we saw had some kind of damage to them from bullets or direct hits from artillery fire . One person who will likely not be returning anytime soon is the pro-Taliban cleric Sufi Muhammad , who brokered a short-lived deal between the Taliban and the government that allowed the Taliban to enforce Sharia law in the Swat Valley . But the deal collapsed and the government set off this offensive . Sufi Muhammad was arrested in Peshawar in late July , accused of encouraging violence . His ransacked house was the last stop on our tour . | The beautiful Dir Valley has been the scene of ferocious fighting against the Taliban . Town of Maidan had been at center of fighting between military forces and militants . Pakistani military show off pro-Taliban cleric Sufi Muhammad 's ransacked house . | [[382, 494], [382, 494]] |
Editor 's note : Since 2007 , CNN and CNN.com have followed the story of Youssif , an Iraqi boy disfigured when he was burned by attackers . Today , CNN 's Arwa Damon catches up with the boy and his family , now living in California where Youssif is undergoing treatment . Today Youssif goes to school in California and continues to have treatment to help his scars . LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Youssif stands on stage beaming as he belts out `` Jingle Bell Rock , '' his tiny burned hands waving in sync with his classmates at Hamlin Street School . His mother , Zaineb , stands at the back , cradling his little sister , Aya , tears rolling down her face . `` I am so proud of him , '' she says . `` It reminds me of what he was like in Iraq when he used to sing in kindergarten . I felt for a moment that none of this had happened . My son was back , without fear , strong . '' Youssif spots us , and waves wildly . Little appears to remain of the sullen and withdrawn dark-eyed boy we first met in Baghdad more than a year ago . It has been almost two years since masked men in Baghdad doused Youssif , then just 4 years old , in gasoline and set him on fire . His mother still does n't sleep at night . `` I still blame myself . I should have protected him . Sometimes I say to myself that I wish it had happened to me , just not to him . '' Zaineb says , her voice starting to quiver . `` If only I had n't let him go out to play that day . '' Today Youssif plays freely , without fear . `` Let 's race '' he shouts to his friend Brandon as the two boys dash across the schoolyard . A couple of minutes later the two are playfully jostling over a rubber ball . Youssif shrieks and bursts into laughter as the two play catch . `` It 's like this weight has been lifted off of me , off of him , '' his father , Wissam , says . `` It 's like we 've left this dark , depressing state where we were consumed by Youssif and the attack that had happened . You know , it 's so hard to see a child , my child , go through something like this . When I see him like this , I feel like he 's coming back . '' Watch more on Youssif 's recovery '' After CNN and CNN.com first reported Youssif 's story in 2007 , more than 12,000 CNN.com users contributed to a fund set up by the Children 's Burn Foundation of Sherman Oaks California , enabling the boy and his family to travel to the United States for treatment . Youssif has undergone more than a dozen surgeries . Much of the thick scar tissue around his eyes , mouth and nose -- left by his treatment in Baghdad -- has been removed . He currently has yet another tissue expander in his left cheek , intended to stretch out `` good skin '' to be used to replace his scar tissue . Youssif has grown used to the sometimes painful treatments . `` When I started this process of tissue expansion , I would have to chase him around the room , '' Dr. Peter Grossman , Youssif 's surgeon , tells us as he injects more liquid into the expander . `` We 'd need three people to hold him down for these injections . '' Youssif will probably have many more surgeries stretched out over time . `` The problem we have with Youssif is that every operation we do tends to heal well after surgery , but then a month after , he starts to form these really thick scars , '' Grossman said . `` It 's probably best at this time to let his body relax , let these scars mature over a period of a year or two years . '' Today , Youssif grimaces in pain but braves it alone , refusing to take his father 's hand . `` Seven or eight times put water , '' Youssif says back at home , explaining how the tissue expansion works . `` I am not scared . It goes here , '' he says pointing to the scarring over his lip . He 's not all that interested in talking about medical procedures . `` When I sharpen this it broke , '' he says , trotting over with his new pencils . We all smile . `` You cut it like this '' he orders , handing me scissors and what is meant to be a snowman he 's just drawn . A few moments later I am being berated for coloring `` wrong . '' `` Great , I am taking orders from a 6-year-old '' I think to myself , laughing . Keely Quinn with the Children 's Burn Foundation comes by for an extra reading lesson . They are reading one of the `` Five Little Monkeys '' books , Youssif 's favorite . By the time I join them on the couch , Youssif 's got Dr. Seuss ' `` Foot Book . '' `` What 's the biggest change you 've seen in him in the last year ? '' I ask her . Youssif pipes up , reading , `` Small feet , big feet . '' `` Aside from reading and learning English , '' Keely says as we 're both laughing . `` I think it 's the change in confidence , in his ability to handle himself in social situations . He 's worked really hard in saying good morning to his teachers , saying hello back , answering questions and just gaining social confidence . '' He 's thriving at school , loving the first grade . `` He 's amazing , '' his teacher Mario Daley says . `` I work with children of all levels of ability , and Youssif , with what he 's gone through , his motivation , what he produces is fantastic . He just tries so hard . '' Before the attack , Zaineb says , Youssif wanted to be a doctor . Now he says `` I want to be a doctor to help burned Iraqi children . '' | Youssif continues to be treated in California for his burns , scars . He is enrolled in school and learning English . More surgeries lie ahead . Boy was doused with gasoline , set on fire by masked men in Baghdad . | [[83, 140], [222, 232], [239, 272], [273, 286], [320, 367], [4601, 4617], [3070, 3142], [3097, 3142], [83, 140], [1050, 1121], [1050, 1052], [1164, 1181]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Officials warned Wednesday that the bridge linking the California cities of San Francisco and Oakland will likely remain closed Thursday morning , promising more delays for Bay Area commuters . That work is intended to dampen vibration on the structure . Vibration may have played a role in causing pieces of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge to fall Tuesday night from the span onto the roadway , resulting in its closure . The 73-year-old bridge spans the San Francisco Bay and carries an average 280,000 vehicles daily , according to the state 's Transportation Department . `` Right now , we do not have a time when the bridge will potentially open , '' said Bart Ney , a spokesman for California Department of Transportation . `` The work has to be completed first . '' Once the new steel is in place and the rods have been made tense , at least three hours of testing will be carried out before the bridge will reopen to vehicular traffic , Ney said , refusing to speculate on when that might occur . `` The first thing that I would say to motorists is that you need to be at this point planning other routes over the next day or so , '' he said . The Federal Highway Administration and the Seismic Peer Review Board are scrutinizing the repair plans , he said . Wednesday 's commute was a horror show for many . `` My wife actually drives over to the peninsula ; she says it 's taken her two hours to get to work so far and she 's not there yet , '' commuter Seth Carp told CNN affiliate KTVU as he prepared to board a Bay Area Rapid Transit train . `` I tried to take the Golden Gate Bridge , '' said a woman who identified herself only as Yemi . `` It was a big mistake . '' She gave up and wound up taking BART . `` It was back-to-back bumper , there were rows of cars everywhere , '' said Christina Chou , who lives in Foster City near the San Mateo Bridge , which served as an alternate route for many . `` It was just horrible . '' Ridership increased on ferries , too , with some people finding a silver lining to the snafu . `` I have been looking for an opportunity to go across the bay in the ferry , '' said Jack Pierce of Oakland . `` I 'm sorry the cable parted , but I am glad to get the opportunity . '' Ney said wind gusts of up to 50 mph slowed repair efforts on Tuesday , but the winds had diminished by Wednesday evening . Winds increased vibration by the rods that were fatigued and ultimately failed , he said . `` It was a contributing factor , but not necessarily the only factor , and we are analyzing what the factors are right now , '' he said . Travelers flocked to BART , which ran longer trains and extra trains . The rail line was on track to exceed its peak ridership of 405,000 in a single day , said BART spokesman Linton Johnson . Were you there ? Send photos and video . `` We have called in extra personnel to help us make sure we operate with every available train car we have in order to provide as much capacity as possible , '' said BART 's assistant general manager of operations , Paul Oversier . Amtrak was running a shuttle between the San Francisco and Martinez stations for Coast Starlight and California Zephyr passengers . The pieces that fell -- a cross beam and tie rods -- came from the same section that was repaired in September over Labor Day weekend , when crews worked almost around the clock to fix a crack in the span . A 50-foot section of the bridge collapsed in 1989 during the Loma Prieta earthquake , killing one person and prompting efforts to make it quake-tolerant . The whole Bay Bridge is slated to be replaced in 2013 , said Patrick Siegman , a transportation planner at Nelson Nygaard Consulting Associates , a national transportation planning firm based in San Francisco . The bridge is `` really showing its age , '' he said . `` It 's kind of a race against time to finish the new bridge before the next quake hits . '' | San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge closes after parts of it fall to roadway . Repair work ongoing , but there 's no word when bridge will reopen . Travelers flock to public transit , including trains and ferries . Repairs aim to stop vibration , which may have caused the problem . | [[19, 163], [615, 674], [1967, 1997], [213, 273], [213, 222], [235, 273], [274, 364]] |
COLUMBIA , South Carolina -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- South Carolina Republican Party Chairwoman Karen Floyd seemed to suggest Wednesday that the time had come for GOP Gov. Mark Sanford to consider resigning from office . Gov. Mark Sanford has said it 's better for him to keep his governorship to `` learn lessons . '' `` For the past two days , I have been speaking with Republican leaders across South Carolina , '' she said in a statement . `` There is clearly a growing view that the time may have come for Governor Sanford to remove himself and his family from the limelight , so that he can devote his efforts full-time to repairing the damage in his personal life . '' The statement comes on the same day as a growing number of GOP state senators called for Sanford to step down . CNN has learned that GOP Sens. Daniel Verdin , Shane Martin , Ronnie Cromer and Wes Hayes joined the anti-Sanford chorus Wednesday morning , bringing the total number of Republican senators calling for the governor 's resignation to 13 . There are 27 Republicans in the state Senate . Another state senator stopped just short of calling for Sanford to step down Wednesday . Glenn McConnell , Senate president pro tempore , did n't explicitly ask Sanford to resign , but he did ask him `` to do the right thing for himself , his family and our state . '' Sanford and his staff have said repeatedly this week that he will not resign . He wrote in a message to his political action committee e-mail list Monday that while he considered resigning , `` I would ultimately be a better person and of more service in whatever doors God opened next in life if I stuck around to learn lessons rather than running and hiding down at the farm . '' After returning last week from a secret trip to Argentina that his staff and wife did n't know about , Sanford admitted to an extramarital affair with a woman identified as Maria Belen Chapur . Sanford also told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he 's `` crossed lines '' with other women , although Chapur was the only one he had sex with . Watch a report on Sanford 's situation '' Sanford 's support among legislators and grassroots leaders in the state eroded considerably Tuesday after Sanford told The Associated Press he had met with his mistress more times than he had previously disclosed . He also admitted to dalliances with other women . At least four county GOP chairmen have also called for Sanford to go . Glenn McCall , the York County Republican Party chairman who has been leading a grassroots effort against the governor , said Wednesday that he and other conservative activists are postponing a rally at the State House next week because legislators are starting to come out strongly against Sanford . The rally had been scheduled to pressure Senate and House leaders to call for Sanford 's resignation and start an investigation into his activities . But now that officials are publicly coming out against the governor and Attorney General Henry McMaster has begun investigating Sanford 's travel records , McCall said the rally may not be necessary . `` We are hoping that legislators can quietly , in private talks with the governor , ask him if he would please step down , '' McCall said . A top South Carolina Democrat also called for Sanford 's resignation Wednesday . `` While I believe an investigation should still be done to determine the full extent of Mark Sanford 's abuse of power , -LSB- through -RSB- his long stream of confessions he has already revealed enough immoral and reprehensible behavior to justify asking him to step -LSB- down -RSB- , '' state Democratic Party Chairwoman Carol Fowler said in a statement . `` State officials seem unable to do anything except worry and talk about Governor Sanford 's extramarital affair , which we learn more about every few hours . '' ... South Carolina ca n't afford to be at a standstill for the next 18 months with a governor who ignores his job responsibilities while pursuing personal interests , '' the statement said . `` Any other worker in South Carolina would be fired for not showing up at work with no notice . '' Late Tuesday , seven GOP senators , including Majority Leader Harvey Peeler , jointly issued a letter demanding that the governor step down because he has lost the trust of South Carolinians . `` The bottom line is that the Governor 's private matters should remain private , but his deception and negligence make it impossible for us to trust him , and for him to govern in the future , '' they wrote . Peeler told CNN that Sanford `` has lost his ability to lead , and I 'm afraid he has lost his ability to function as a man . '' `` He is sitting all alone in that big governor 's mansion , totally alone , '' Peeler said . `` It 's about leadership and moving forward and it 's time for him to resign . '' Peeler issued the statement along with Sens. Hugh Leatherman , Paul Campbell , Thomas Alexander , Jake Knotts , Larry Martin and William O'Dell . Earlier Tuesday , two of Sanford 's top conservative allies in the senate -- Larry Grooms and Kevin Bryant -- also said Sanford must go . The Greenville News , one of the largest papers in South Carolina , also issued a sharply worded editorial Wednesday telling Sanford to go . It wrote that Sanford has `` acted like a heart-sick school boy , and he 's revealed facts that clearly demonstrate he is capable of exceptional deception , arrogance and narcissism . '' The State , of Columbia , South Carolina 's largest paper , editorialized earlier that he should remain in office . Watch a reporter from The State comment on the situation '' The attorney general of South Carolina asked the State Law Enforcement Division to review Sanford 's travel records after the governor admitted Tuesday to more visits with his mistress than previously disclosed . The review by law enforcement officials would be the first formal investigation into whether Sanford abused his power while carrying on his affair . State Law Enforcement Division Chief Reggie Lloyd said he would not characterize the review as a criminal investigation . He told reporters on a conference call that law enforcement officials are reviewing documents from the governor 's office going back to 2003 , when Sanford came to power . He said the review should be concluded by the end of the week . Attorney General Henry McMaster , a Republican , had been reluctant to move forward with calls for an investigation into Sanford , saying he is wary of mixing legal matters with political score-settling from longtime Sanford opponents . However , an aide to McMaster told CNN on Tuesday that `` that all changed this morning when the governor disclosed additional trips that were not disclosed last week . '' Sanford said in a statement Tuesday that he 's `` pleased that -LSB- the State Law Enforcement Division -RSB- will look into this matter . '' `` There 's been a lot of speculation and innuendo on whether or not public moneys were used to advance my admitted unfaithfulness . To be very clear : no public money was ever used in connection with this . '' | GOP chairwoman suggests Sanford may have to step down . 13 of South Carolina 's 27 GOP state senators now calling on Sanford to resign . South Carolina Democratic Party chairwoman calls for Sanford 's resignation . County GOP Party chair cancels anti-Sanford rally , says it may not be needed . | [[11, 41], [107, 176], [128, 212], [2369, 2439], [4984, 4999], [5099, 5121], [668, 745], [727, 779], [780, 1009], [801, 900], [911, 918], [801, 824], [921, 1009], [950, 1017], [1018, 1064], [2424, 2439], [3177, 3213], [4128, 4140], [4143, 4203], [4206, 4320], [4819, 4834], [4838, 4983], [4984, 4999], [5099, 5121], [3233, 3262], [3268, 3313], [3602, 3673], [4819, 4834], [4984, 4999], [5099, 5121], [2440, 2452], [2561, 2668], [3047, 3091]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Georgia man who spent a year in jail for nonpayment of child support -- despite the fact he has no children -- has been cleared of the debt , his attorney said Tuesday . Frank Hatley was ordered to make back payments even after he learned a teenager was n't his son . Frank Hatley , 50 , spent 13 months in jail for being a deadbeat dad before his release last month . A judge ordered him jailed in June 2008 for failing to support his `` son '' -- a child who DNA tests proved was not fathered by Hatley . Last week , Cook County Superior Court Judge Dane Perkins signed an order stating , `` defendant is no longer responsible for paying any amount of child support . '' The order permits the state 's Office of Child Support Services to close its file on Hatley . `` We 're satisfied with the result for Mr. Hatley , but still troubled by the state 's monumental lapse of judgment in this case , '' attorney Sarah Geraghty with the Atlanta-based Southern Center for Human Rights told CNN in a written statement . Hatley did not immediately return a call from CNN Tuesday . His story dates back to 1986 , when Hatley had a relationship with Essie Lee Morrison , who gave birth to a son . According to court documents , Morrison told Hatley the child was his , but the two ended their relationship shortly after the child was born . The couple never married and never lived together , the documents said . When the child turned 2 , Morrison applied for public support for the child . Under Georgia law , the state , can recoup the cost of the assistance from a child 's non-custodial parent . For 13 years , Hatley made payments to the state until learning in 2000 that the boy might not be his . A DNA test that year confirmed the child was not fathered by Hatley , court documents said . He returned to court and was relieved of any future child support payments , but was ordered to pay more than $ 16,000 he owed the state before the ruling . Since 2000 , Hatley paid that debt down to about $ 10,000 , Geraghty said . Court documents showed he was jailed for six months in 2006 for falling behind on payments during a period of unemployment , but afterward he resumed making payments , continuing to do so even after he lost another job and became homeless in 2008 . But last year he became unable to make the payments and was jailed . The argument for keeping Hatley liable for the back payments , according to the attorney who represented him in 2000 , was that he signed a consent agreement with the Office of Child Support Services . The court agreed that Hatley had to comply with the consent agreement for the period he believed the child was his son , said attorney Latesha Bradley . But many , including Cook County Sheriff Johnny Daughtrey , did n't think Hatley 's incarceration was fair , given that the child was not his . `` I knew the gentleman 's plight and did n't know how to help him , '' Daughtrey told CNN last month . When the Southern Center for Human Rights visited the jail earlier this year , Daughtrey told them about Hatley 's case . Hatley was released from jail last month after Perkins ruled he was indigent and should not be jailed for failing to make the payments . The Georgia Department of Human Services , which includes the Office of Child Support Services , plans to propose legislation in the next session of the state Legislature that would prevent similar situations in the future , said agency spokeswoman Dena Smith . Two things still remain to be cleared up for Hatley , Geraghty said -- lifting the child-support holds on his driver 's license and his income tax . It remains unclear whether he will be reimbursed for the $ 6,000 in payments he made since 2000 , she said -- so far , he has not been . Cook County , Georgia , is in the south-central part of the state , about 200 miles south of Atlanta . | Frank Hatley was jailed last year for falling behind on child support payments . Hatley had paid for 13 years until he learned boy might not have been his . DNA test proved child was n't Hatley 's , but court still ordered back payment . The south Georgia man is cleared from his debt , his attorney announces . | [[37, 50], [55, 75], [408, 474], [424, 481], [2063, 2185], [2312, 2363], [2312, 2328], [2368, 2380], [209, 221], [234, 306], [1633, 1645], [1648, 1704], [1648, 1654], [1682, 1736], [209, 288], [209, 221], [234, 306], [488, 495], [517, 545], [1737, 1804], [1830, 1832], [1905, 1948], [181, 208]] |
KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai bowed to Western pressure Tuesday , agreeing to take part in a presidential runoff vote in two weeks . Hamid Karzai failed to score a first round win in August 's election . Karzai , who will face his main challenger Abdullah Abdullah in the November 7 second round , said he was putting his country 's interests over his own . `` It was not important who the winner is , and we need to leave this to the people of Afghanistan to judge who the winner was , '' Karzai said at a news conference through an interpreter . `` Whether I am the winner or not , it 's probably in my interest , but I prefer the national interest of Afghanistan over my personal interests . '' Western powers , particularly the United States , had been pushing Karzai to accept the final election results in order to ensure Afghanistan has a legitimate government , particularly as Washington considers beefing up its military presence there . Karzai spoke shortly after Afghanistan 's Independent Election Commission certified the election results , which gave him less than the 50 percent needed to avoid a runoff . The U.N.-backed Electoral Complaints Commission had invalidated nearly a third of Karzai 's votes from the August 20 presidential election because of `` clear and convincing evidence of fraud . '' Last month , final uncertified results showed Karzai with 54 percent . `` We welcome the decision made by the Independent Election Commission , we believe the session is legitimate , legal and according to the constitution of Afghanistan , '' Karzai said Tuesday . `` It 's going to be a historic period that we all are waiting to go through . '' The International Security Assistance Force -LRB- ISAF -RRB- in Afghanistan said that it would `` support the Afghan National Security Forces ' preparations to ensure a safe runoff election . '' Spokesman Col. Wayne Shanks said that ISAF had been preparing for a possible runoff election `` for some time . '' `` As in the election 's first round , ISAF will only provide third-layer of security , reinforcing the Afghan National Police and Afghan National Army in line with the security plan signed by the chairman of the Afghan Independent Election Commission along with representatives from the Afghan Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Defense , and ISAF in 2008 , '' Shanks said . Karzai 's decision was immediately hailed by U.S. Sen. John Kerry , one of several Western representatives who appeared alongside the Afghan president at Tuesday 's delayed news conference . Kerry , who is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee , said Karzai 's decision to participate in the runoff `` will allow the national leadership to govern with legitimacy . '' `` We believe with this decision by the president today that a time of enormous uncertainty has been transformed into a great opportunity , '' Kerry said . Watch President Karzai and Sen. John Kerry discuss runoff elections '' Minutes after the news conference concluded , U.S. President Barack Obama issued a statement praising Karzai for accepting the election results and agreeing to a second round of voting . `` While this election could have remained unresolved to the detriment of the country , President Karzai 's constructive actions established an important precedent for Afghanistan 's new democracy , '' Obama said . Obama is considering sending more troops to Afghanistan , and Kerry has said the results of the country 's election should be settled before the United States makes any decision on troop levels . Watch Nic Robertson discuss pressure President Karzai is under '' Abdullah told CNN on Monday he was prepared to participate in a runoff , but said `` the door is open '' to other alternatives . `` There are some practical questions ahead , '' Abdullah told CNN 's Christiane Amanpour , citing winter , the security situation `` and other realities on the ground . '' If the election were not held by early November , winter weather would make voting impossible in some areas and force a delay until spring of 2010 , according to Afghanistan 's ambassador to the United States , Said Jawad . Such a delay , he warned , would be a `` recipe for disaster '' that would create confusion in Afghanistan and heighten tension between the United States and Karzai 's government . | Afghan runoff election scheduled for November 7 , officials say . Runoff follows probe into election fraud that invalidated thousands of votes . Runoff with pit Karzai against his former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah . | [[8, 35], [105, 171], [243, 251], [256, 334], [1161, 1354], [243, 251], [256, 334]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Sunday the United States and its allies must have patience if his country is not ready to assume control of its own security by July 2011 , when U.S. troops would begin leaving under President Obama 's plan . Karzai spoke to CNN 's `` Amanpour '' program in his first television interview since Obama 's announcement last week that he will deploy an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan . Obama also said the U.S. forces would begin withdrawing from Afghanistan in July 2011 . The date was not `` an exit announcement , '' but instead a goal for Afghan forces to be able to start assuming security control from U.S.-led allied forces , Karzai said in the interview . `` We will try our best as the Afghan people to do it the soonest possible , '' Karzai said . `` But the international community must have also the patience with us and the realization of the realities in Afghanistan . If it takes longer , then they must be with us . '' Karzai also offered his own timeline goal , saying Afghanistan wants to be able to assume security control in some parts of the country in two years , and to lead security for the entire country by the end of his five-year term , which just started after his recent re-election . `` We as Afghans will try our very best to reach that goal , and we hope our allies will back us to reach that goal , '' Karzai said . Later Sunday , Obama 's national security adviser , retired Marine Gen. Jim Jones , told CNN 's `` State of the Union '' that the July 2011 date was `` not a cliff '' for U.S. withdrawal , but instead the start of a gradual slope for turning over security responsibility to Afghanistan . Obama `` has also said that we 're not leaving Afghanistan , '' Jones noted , adding : `` We are here to make sure that Afghanistan succeeds . '' To prepare his country , Karzai said , he would do all he can to root out corruption and improve governance . He has fired corrupt officials already , he said , adding he is prepared to act against anyone proven to be breaking the law . However , he warned against other nations using the corruption as a political tool in making decisions about Afghanistan . And he said the United States and its allies also must halt practices that contribute to corruption from outside the country or create what he called `` parallel '' governance issues . The main objective for Afghanistan and its allies is to defeat terrorism and return peace to the nation , neighboring Pakistan and the region , Karzai said . That means training Afghan security forces , rebuilding the economy and other nation-building efforts , he said . `` I have fired people and I will be firing people , '' Karzai said . He seemed to laugh when he was played a video clip of White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs saying the United States would bypass corrupt government officials if necessary . `` Afghanistan is a sovereign country , it has a sovereign government , it 's not an occupied country , '' Karzai said , adding that a foreign power ca n't undermine or go around the government to deal with whomever it chooses . Top priorities on a `` long list '' of reforms include improving the rule of law , improving the judiciary , reducing bureaucracy that forces people to visit dozens of offices to get licenses , and other steps to make the government more transparent and simpler , Karzai said . However , U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in interviews broadcast Sunday that Karzai still must prove he means what he says . `` The proof is in the pudding , '' Clinton said on the ABC program `` This Week . '' `` We 're going to have to wait to see how it unfolds . '' U.S. assistance will be `` based on a certification of accountability and transparency , '' Clinton said on the CBS program `` Face the Nation , '' adding that `` certain ministries ... American money will not be going to . '' In his CNN interview , Karzai said his government would welcome Taliban supporters who had no ties to al Qaeda or other terrorist networks , renounced violence and pledged to support the constitution . Clinton told ABC 's `` This Week '' that such reintegration might be possible with lower-level Taliban members , but not the hard-core leadership . `` We have no firm information whether any of those leaders would be at all interested in following that kind of a path , '' Clinton said . `` In fact , I 'm highly skeptical that any of them would . '' Eradicating terrorist networks and helping Karzai 's government defeat the Taliban insurgency are main goals of the U.S.-led mission . Approximately 1,000 U.S. Marines are expected to deploy this month as the first wave of the new deployment , military officials say . The Army may not deploy the first soldiers until at least March . Testifying before a congressional committee last week , Adm. Michael Mullen , chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , said a `` significant '' number of troops will arrive in the spring and summer , with the final troops moving to Afghanistan by late summer or early fall . Meanwhile , the White House said Obama would meet with Gen. Stanley McChrystal , the U.S. commander in Afghanistan , and Karl Eikenberry , the U.S. ambassador in Kabul , on Monday . Both are expected to testify before Congress this week . Clinton and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Friday that Britain , Italy , Poland , Slovakia and non-NATO member Georgia are among at least 25 countries offering to send a total of 7,000 additional troops . At present , there are 68,000 U.S. troops operating under both NATO and U.S. commands in Afghanistan , and around 42,000 non-U.S. forces under NATO . | NEW : `` Proof is in the pudding '' on Afghan reform promises , Hillary Clinton says . `` We will try our best '' to be ready to take over security in 2011 , Karzai says . President Obama has said U.S. troops will start leaving Afghanistan in 2011 . Afghan president says Obama timeline is a goal , not `` an exit announcement '' | [[3430, 3548], [608, 695], [806, 822], [1000, 1006], [1044, 1222], [1398, 1414], [2538, 2551], [2719, 2735], [3406, 3419], [199, 262], [451, 456], [462, 538], [539, 555], [557, 579]] |
ARNOLD , Missouri -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On his 100th day in office , President Obama said Wednesday that he was `` pleased with the progress we 've made but not satisfied . '' Obama marked his 100th day in office Wednesday with a town hall meeting and later a news conference . `` I 've come back to report to you , the American people , that we have begun to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off , and we 've begun the work of remaking America , '' the president said at a town hall meeting in a high school gymnasium in Arnold , a St. Louis suburb . `` I 'm confident in the future , but not I 'm not content with the present , '' he said . `` You know the progress comes from hard choices and hard work , not miracles . I 'm not a miracle worker , '' he said . Obama acknowledged challenges of `` unprecedented size and scope , '' including the recession . These challenges , he said , could not be met with `` half measures . '' `` They demand action that is bold and sustained . They call on us to clear away the wreckage of a painful recession , But also , at the same time , lay the building blocks for a new prosperity . And that 's the work that we 've begun over these first 100 days , '' he said . He responded to critics who say he is trying to do too much as he works to address the recession as well as health care , energy and education . `` There 's no mystery to what we 've done ; the priorities that we 've acted upon were the things that we said we 'd do during the campaign , '' he said , prompting loud applause . The president made an opening statement that lasted about 20 minutes before taking questions from the audience . The last question was from a fourth-grade girl who asked about the administration 's environmental policies . Later Wednesday , Obama will hold a prime-time news conference in the East Room of the White House . Leading up to the date , White House aides had labeled the 100th day as a `` Hallmark '' holiday . `` They do n't mean anything , '' quipped one aide , `` but you have to observe them . '' More than six in 10 Americans approve of the job Obama is doing as president , a recent poll of polls shows . According to a CNN Poll of Polls compiled early Wednesday , 63 percent say they approve of how Obama is handling his duties . CNN 's Ed Henry contributed to this report . | `` We 've begun the work of remaking America , '' he says in Missouri . Obama warns that progress comes from `` hard work , not miracles '' He will hold a prime-time news conference later Wednesday . | [[404, 445], [1130, 1194], [644, 723], [656, 723], [1760, 1775], [1778, 1860]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Airline pilots and cabin crew across Europe are holding demonstrations Monday to protest over rules governing their flying hours which they say are putting the lives of passengers at risk . European pilots and cabin crew are calling for shorter flying times to protect passenger safety . Organized by the European Cockpit Association -LRB- ECA -RRB- , and the European Transport Workers ' Federation -LRB- ETF -RRB- , protesters are demanding that European Union rules on flying times are brought into line with scientific evidence . The Moebus Report -- mandated by the EU in September 2008 -- recommends that an airline crew should not operate for more than 13 hours during the day and 10 hours at night . Current EU rules stipulate pilots work up to a maximum of 14 hours during the day and nearly 12 hours at night . Are you concerned at the hours worked by airline pilots ? Tell us . Speaking from one of the protests outside the European Parliament in Brussels , Captain Martin Chalk , President of the ECA told CNN : `` At the moment , the EU level is not adequate . That 's not our view that is the view of experts employed to review the EU 's own level of protection . '' Chalk said that despite being in possession of the report , the EU completely ignored the recommendations when they produced new fatigue proposals in January 2009 . The ECA and the ETF have printed over 100,000 dummy airline tickets which they will hand out to airline passengers . The tickets contain cigarette-style warnings giving details on crew fatigue and an explanation as to why the EU current legislation needs to be changed . `` All we are trying to do at this stage is raise public 's awareness . We 're not trying to get in anyone 's way , '' Chalk said . Hundreds of protesters are attending events taking place at 22 airports across Europe . 400 ECA members are expected to attend the protests at Madrid airport . `` What we are saying today is that they need to listen to the safety review , '' Chalk said . `` It was conducted by the best scientists in this field in Europe . It was commissioned by the European Aviation Safety Agency -LRB- EASA -RRB- and therefore it should not be ignored when writing the rules . '' Francois Ballestero , Political Secretary of the ETF echoed Chalk 's concerns . `` Flight safety is the core mission of every cabin crew member . But EU law is insufficient to ensure that air crew can perform their safety role in an alert and effective way , '' he said . But the EASA were critical of the protests and their timing . `` This is jumping the gun . It is not a constructive contribution to a debate which is yet to happen , '' Daniel Hoeltgen , EASA communications director told CNN . Hoeltgen believes that the pilots are simply setting up stall for an industrial debate between the unions and the airlines . `` It 's got nothing to do with safety regulations . We have made it clear that we will invite the unions and the airlines to take part in a review of the current rules and the timeframe for that has been made clear . '' The current law in Europe on air crew fatigue is set at two different levels . There is a minimum level set by EU and then there is a level set by individual countries that can be better than that minimum level . In 2012 the EU level is due to come into force . `` There needs to be a change in the law to protect passengers and our members from the insidious effects of airport fatigue , '' Chalk said . The ECA represents over 38,000 pilots and flight engineers in 36 European countries . | Hundreds of pilots across Europe are protesting about flying hours and safety . Pilots argue the EU is ignoring scientific evidence which says hours are too long . Demonstrators to hand out dummy airline tickets with a list of their complaints . | [[92, 135], [130, 225], [454, 569]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- American U2 reconnaissance planes have been flying over the Turkey-Iraq border to observe military movements , said three U.S. military sources Wednesday . A Turkish army convoy heads toward the Turkey-Iraq border on Monday . Word of the flights comes a day before top-level meetings between U.S. and Turkish government officials and prior to a regional conference aimed at easing tensions between Ankara and Kurdish rebels across Turkey 's border with Iraq . Turkey -- which shares its Incirlik air base with U.S. forces -- is a key member of NATO and acts as a vital conduit for U.S. military supplies . Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell confirmed Wednesday that U.S. military and intelligence communities are sharing information with Turkey to help them fight members of the Kurdistan Workers ' Party , or PKK , who have made cross-border attacks . See location of key U.S.-Turkish air base '' `` We are assisting by supplying them , the Turks , with intelligence , lots of intelligence , '' said Morrell . `` There has been an increased level '' of intelligence sharing . Turkey has urged Washington to offer more support against the rebels and Ankara has threatened to launch a full-scale offensive if Iraqi and Kurdish officials fail to neutralize the PKK . U.S. and Iraqi diplomats have been working to restrain Turkey from such a response . Recent limited fighting in southeastern Turkey has spilled into northern Iraq . During operations near the border on Monday , Turkish forces fired on suspected rebel positions . Watch Turkish helicopters fire on rebels '' On Thursday , U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is set to meet with Turkish officials in Ankara and President Bush holds talks in Washington with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan . Also , a conference of regional officials , including Iraq , is scheduled Thursday and Friday in Istanbul . Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has joined efforts to ease cross-border tensions . Mottaki met in Iraq Wednesday with his Iraqi counterpart , Hoshyar Zebari , and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki . Mottaki 's involvement prompted him to delay a scheduled visit to Lebanon , according to Iran 's Islamic Republic News Agency , which quoted Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Mohammad Reza Sheibani . Iran 's foreign minister is offering his `` full support '' to the regional conference in Istanbul , said a statement from al-Maliki 's office . The statement also said Mottaki wants to help `` solve the border crisis between Turkey and the PKK . '' Earlier this month , proposed legislation in the U.S. Congress prompted Turkey to threaten to restrict U.S. access to Turkish airspace or cut off access to the air base at Incirlik . Some lawmakers wanted a vote on legislation that would have officially declared that the killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in World War I was `` genocide . '' Turkey recalled its ambassador to the United States and warned of repercussions in the growing dispute . Sponsors of the congressional resolution have asked for a delay in the vote . E-mail to a friend . | `` Increased level '' of intelligence sharing with Turkey , says Pentagon . U2s observing military movements amid tensions between Turks , Kurd rebels . Turkey has threatened full-scale attack on rebels ; U.S. relies on Turk air base . Bush , Rice to meet with Turk officials ; Iranian diplomat meets with Iraqi PM . | [[636, 772], [1039, 1104], [1039, 1047], [1060, 1104], [0, 16], [27, 138], [1178, 1263], [256, 394], [1600, 1611], [1614, 1721], [1707, 1760]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In her first television interview since Mel Gibson went public with their relationship in April , his girlfriend , Oksana Grigorieva , made it clear to CNN : `` I 'd like to be known for my music . '' Oksana Grigorieva and Mel Gibson are expecting a child this year . Still , the 39-year-old singer was willing to talk about her beau and her pregnancy , as well as her new album , `` Beautiful Heartache . '' `` Beautiful Heartache '' was released to iTunes on July 23 by Icon Distribution , Gibson 's company , which up until now has handled only soundtracks for his movies . `` He 's an incredible artist , '' Grigorieva said . `` A visionary . He enabled me to produce this album , for my music to live . '' The Oscar-winning -LRB- `` Braveheart '' -RRB- filmmaker also directed four music videos for Grigorieva during a whirlwind week in Mexico . Watch Grigorieva talk about Gibson , love '' `` They 're like dramatic miniature films -- a whirlpool of different , exciting , bright images . That 's quite rare , '' she said . The music videos and music are available on her Web site , www.oksana.fm . Grigorieva has a background in music . She said she was classically trained as a pianist in her native Russia , and both her parents are musicians . In 2006 , a song she penned called `` Un Dia Llegara '' was recorded by Josh Groban for his album `` Awake . '' Though she describes her album as being about `` different facets of love , '' she cautions that listeners should n't overthink the lyrics . `` This album is not autobiographical -- maybe only partially so . It 's not a diary . '' Gibson , 53 , and his wife of nearly 30 years , Robyn , filed for divorce in April . The two have seven children . Grigorieva and Gibson were first photographed together on the set of his movie `` Edge of Darkness , '' according to People magazine . Grigorieva is pregnant with Gibson 's child and is to give birth this year . She said the couple has opted not to learn the sex of the child . It will be her second child , after Alexander , her 12-year-old son with actor Timothy Dalton . `` I 'm already buying things in gender-neutral colors . It 's very cute , '' she chuckled . Alexander , she added , is excited about having a sibling . `` He 's like a little man , protecting me . He 's looking forward to it very much . '' Grigorieva says she and Gibson have no immediate plans for marriage . `` We do n't know yet . We have n't really talked about it , '' she admitted . She acknowledged that her relationship with Gibson has given her a unique opportunity to present her skills . `` If you think about it , every talent needs a serious push and help from somebody who is stronger , because it 's pretty much impossible for anybody to succeed in this industry . So I 've become very lucky , and I 'm very grateful , '' she said . `` You do n't control the situations or the people you meet . I did not plan this . I 'm just doing what I 've always been doing . It 's not like I 've changed my goals at all . '' In the meantime , Grigorieva is adapting to life in the public eye . `` It has n't been too bad , actually . There was a period of time where it was a little bit difficult , but now it 's much better , '' she said . Before embarking on limited press for the new album , Gibson did offer a few words of advice , she added : `` Just be myself and speak the truth . What I most like to talk about is my music and ` Beautiful Heartache . ' And that 's pretty much it . '' | Oksana Grigorieva and Mel Gibson have been a couple for at least a year . Grigorieva has a new album , `` Beautiful Heartache '' Singer is pregnant with Gibson 's child , describes Gibson as `` a visionary '' | [[245, 311]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- With the 2010 World Cup being held in South Africa next year CNN takes a look at one of the greatest talents South African football has ever produced , Jomo Sono . Jomo Sono 's international career never took off because of South Africa 's exclusion from world football . Matsilela Ephraim Sono was born in 1955 in Soweto , but his career as an international player never got off the ground as South Africa were officially expelled by world governing body FIFA in 1976 during the apartheid regime in the country . The Black Prince , as he was known , made his mark as a player of legendary skill who was denied a world stage through circumstances beyond his control . Sono was a midfield general and renowned for his dribbling and accurate passing -- but it is difficult to say how he would have faired against the best players in the world as he was not given the opportunity . Watch CNN 's interview with Sono . `` He was one of the first South Africans to play overseas where he played for the New York Cosmos alongside Pele , '' South African football writer Mo Allie told CNN . `` He played at a time when South Africa was internationally isolated so there was no opportunity for players to showcase their skills to the world . `` But he was fortunate in that he got the opportunity to go to the U.S. and he did very well there , playing alongside greats such as Pele . '' After accomplishing everything that he set out to do at home club Orlando Pirates , Sono starred for the New York Cosmos , Colorado Caribous and Toronto Blizzard in the United States . On his return to South Africa after his retirement , Sono bought the Highlands Park Club in Johannesburg in 1982 and renamed it Jomo Cosmos in honor of his old team in New York , before becoming coach of the South African national side . `` So many of today 's South African players would have heard a lot about Jomo Sono but many would n't have seen him in action apart from a few snippets of TV highlights , '' Allie added . `` They will identify more with him as a coach because he led the national side in the 1998 African Cup of Nations and took them to the 2002 World Cup finals . '' Sono has proved to be as astute off the pitch as he was on it and has become a successful businessman , owning a number of companies around Johannesburg . And the current South African squad will be looking to carry on his footballing legacy when they attempt to become the first African team to win the World Cup next year . | Jomo Sono is one of the greatest footballers South Africa has ever produced . Sono 's international career never took off because of South Africa 's exclusion . He was major success at Orlando Pirates before playing in the United States . Sono also coached South African national side to the 2002 World Cup finals . | [[183, 290], [347, 532], [1105, 1171], [1329, 1351], [1397, 1478], [1481, 1581], [2064, 2066], [2128, 2168]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Earlier this year , Matt Keller sat down with officials in Afghanistan -- not to discuss troop deployments , suicide bombings or opium traffickers . He was there to talk about getting laptop computers into the hands of little girls . Girls in India take a seat on the floor and get to work on their new laptops . As Taliban insurgents continue to crack down on girls who go to school and women who dare to teach them , Keller was awestruck by the Afghan government 's determination to educate all children , even if it means finding tools that allow them to intellectually grow in the privacy of their own homes . `` For them to propose this was astounding , '' said Keller , who works for One Laptop per Child , a Cambridge , Massachusetts , nonprofit committed to creating and distributing affordable , durable and solar-powered laptops to the world 's poorest children . `` That hunger for knowledge , that desire to learn , is pretty profound . '' From Uruguay , Haiti and Mexico to Mongolia , Ghana and the small Polynesian island of Niue , at least 750,000 kids -- a number that will double by June , Chairman Nicholas Negroponte said -- are tapping away on One Laptop per Child-produced XO laptop keyboards . They 're exploring mathematics , composing music and art , learning new languages , designing animation , collecting data , collaborating with peers across borders and accessing learning tools -LRB- including textbooks -RRB- that they would never see otherwise . Targeting current and historic conflict zones , including Iraq , Rwanda and most recently the Gaza Strip , not only fulfills the group 's mission to offer equal-access education to the most isolated children , it may also promote world peace , Keller said . By putting laptops `` into the hands of kids who would otherwise be indoctrinated , '' he explained , `` we can make the case pretty successfully that doing this is a long-term solution to root causes . '' When the laptops , which incorporate free wireless Internet connectivity and open-source programming , first rolled out in 2007 , they cost $ 205 each . Now , they 're down to $ 180 . The price is higher than Negroponte 's original goal of $ 100 a pop , but it 's a figure he believes will keep going down as One Laptop per Child finds ways to engineer the product with fewer components . The hope is that with corporate sponsorships and donations , collected through a program called Give One Get One , the computers can be delivered to kids at no cost to the poorest host-country governments . The laptops allow students to engage in learning differently , enjoy a customized approach and hone critical thinking skills , explained David Cavallo , One Laptop per Child 's vice president of learning . And their mere existence , he said , keeps kids coming to school . Cavallo spoke of a school in Rwanda that lacks electricity and traditionally had a 50 percent attendance rate . It is now drawing 1,000 more students than its previous full capacity , he said , and is even attracting kids -- who in turn are teaching their parents and grandparents -- on weekends . `` Rwanda is recovering from genocide , '' he said . This is a `` real engagement of a society directing itself to a different future . '' And the kids , no matter their previous exposure to technology , immediately gravitate to the machines . Keller , the group 's director for Europe , the Middle East and Africa , recalled a visit to rural Ethiopia . As he passed out the laptops , he kept one eye on the children , the other on his watch . Seven seconds was all it took for an 8-year-old boy to flip open the never-seen-before computer , find and then hit the power button . Within two weeks , that boy and his classmates would be programming . Meanwhile , the nearby adults stared at the oddball objects and flashed the international look of , `` What the hell is this thing ? '' Keller said . `` Kids are technology natives , and adults are technology immigrants . '' Despite its ongoing successes , the downturn in the economy has taken a toll on the nonprofit . The last Give One Get One promotion brought in $ 2.5 million , while the first incarnation brought in $ 37.5 million , Negroponte said . And corporate sponsors fell from 11 to three in the span of 30 days , he added . Early this year , the organization laid off half of its staff , bringing the total on payroll to just 32 . These economic realities , though disappointing , wo n't impede the mission , said Negroponte , who created One Laptop per Child with others from the MIT Media Lab . Thousands of volunteers around the world offer technical support and training , and serve as translators and programmers . `` If we could get all the children in the world -- 1.2 billion of them between 6 and 12 -- to have a connected laptop , that would be success , '' Negroponte said . `` Roughly half of those children have no electricity at home or school . The poverty is so extreme , and the environmental conditions are so extreme , we have to focus on them . '' The push has been to reach out to developing nations , but that has n't precluded the group from serving American communities that can pursue the program at a scale that makes sense financially . Birmingham City Schools in Alabama , for example , now has 14,000 of the group 's laptops in students ' hands . Michael Wilson , principal of Glen Iris Elementary School in Birmingham , opened his building 's doors last year as the district 's pilot school for the free laptop program . `` It 's been an overwhelming success at our school , '' which has a poverty rate of 83 percent , Wilson said . Through professional development and a summer camp for kids , the school is learning how to best utilize the computers . And the students , who own their laptops , are learning about responsibility . They 're `` totally engaged in what they 're doing , '' Wilson said . `` I have kids getting out of cars in the morning with their laptops open . '' One of those kids might be Amicah Bitten , a fourth-grader who is using the computer on her own time to learn Spanish with her mother , Kamonia Bates . `` It gets me more interested because she 's interested . ... She does n't put it down , '' said Bates , who used to take her daughter to the library when she needed a computer . `` I like it because people can learn stuff , '' Amicah , 9 , said after school . `` You can listen to music . You can take pictures . You can also learn how to make different things . I can learn Spanish . I can learn French . I can learn how to use the keyboard . ... Yes ma'am , my laptop can do many things . '' | One Laptop per Child targets kids in poorest and most conflicted regions . Laptops can help girls learn in Afghanistan , where Taliban cracks down on schools . 1.5 million laptops will be distributed by June , chairman says . Economy may be a challenge , but goal to give equal access to all kids wo n't stop . | [[335, 385], [4424, 4448], [4474, 4499]] |
Kabul , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Afghanistan 's President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday that the United States `` will never turn our back '' on Afghanistan . Gates , who is on an unannounced visit in the war zone , held a joint news conference with Karzai . `` President Obama is sending 30,000 more U.S. troops , the first of which are scheduled to arrive within days , '' Gates said . `` Afghanistan 's international partners have pledged at least 7,000 additional troops ; when all is said and done , some 43 nations will make up a force . '' Gates also was scheduled to meet with Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak , as well as American military officials . Karzai has asked for patience as his nation struggles to take control of its own security . `` A number of years Afghanistan will not be able to sustain our force with our own resources , '' Karzai told reporters . `` We hope the international community and the U.S. will help Afghanistan reach the ability to sustain our force with numbers and equipment . '' Obama has said that U.S. forces will begin withdrawing from Afghanistan in July 2011 -- at which point international troops would begin to turn over security responsibility to Afghan forces . Gates spoke about the U.S. commitment to Afghanistan on Tuesday . `` Our relationship with Afghanistan is a long-term commitment , '' Gates said . `` As security improves our relationship grows ... especially with economic and political development . As President Obama said , we will never turn our back on the region . '' Karzai also offered his own timeline goal , saying Afghanistan wants to be able to assume security control in some parts of the country in two years , and to lead security for the entire country by the end of his five-year term , which just started after his recent re-election . `` We as Afghans will try our very best to reach that goal , and we hope our allies will back us to reach that goal , '' Karzai said . Building and developing Afghan security forces will be a continuing challenge , Gates said , and is an effort that has involved some trial and error . `` One of the eye-openers for us was learning that the Taliban for the most part are better paid than the Afghan security forces , so that 's something that we and the Afghans have already taken steps to correct , '' Gates told reporters on the way to Afghanistan . `` I think , frankly , that 's the biggest obstacle . '' The Afghan president is under intense pressure to clean up government corruption , a task he said is under way . `` I have fired people and I will be firing people , '' Karzai said . Some of those changes will become known when Karzai announces his new Cabinet . The Afghan president said at the news conference with Gates that he would try to get a list to parliament by the middle of next week . Karzai was originally expected to submit the list on Tuesday . | NEW : U.S. relationship with Afghanistan `` a long-term commitment , '' Robert Gates says . NEW : U.S. defense secretary meets with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul . Karzai sets his own timeline goal for security handover in Afghanistan . Gates acknowledges Taliban `` for most part '' better paid than Afghan security forces . | [[129, 199], [1264, 1329], [1330, 1392], [1588, 1594], [1600, 1629], [1639, 1650], [1588, 1594], [1632, 1810], [2154, 2365]] |
CAVITE CITY , Philippines -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At 16 , Rhandolf Fajardo reflects on his former life as a gang member . Efren Peñaflorida 's Dynamic Teen Company offers Filipino youth an alternative to gangs through education . `` My gang mates were the most influential thing in my life , '' says Fajardo , who joined a gang when he was in sixth grade . `` We were pressured to join . '' He 's not alone . In the Philippines , teenage membership in urban gangs has surged to an estimated 130,000 in the past 10 years , according to the Preda Foundation , a local human rights charity . `` I thought I 'd get stuck in that situation and that my life would never improve , '' recalls Fajardo . `` I would probably be in jail right now , most likely a drug addict -- if I had n't met Efren . '' Efren Peñaflorida , 28 , also was bullied by gangs in high school . Today , he offers Filipino youth an alternative to gang membership through education . Vote now for the CNN Hero of the Year . `` Gang members are groomed in the slums as early as 9 years old , '' says Peñaflorida . `` They are all victims of poverty . '' For the past 12 years , Peñaflorida and his team of teen volunteers have taught basic reading and writing to children living on the streets . Their main tool : A pushcart classroom . Stocked with books , pens , tables and chairs , his Dynamic Teen Company recreates a school setting in unconventional locations such as the cemetery and municipal trash dump . Peñaflorida knows firsthand the adversity faced by these children . Born into a poor family , he lived in a shanty near the city dump site . But he says he refused to allow his circumstances to define his future . `` Instead of being discouraged , I promised myself that I would pursue education , '' he recalls . `` I will strive hard ; I will do my best . '' In high school , Peñaflorida faced a new set of challenges . Gang activity was rampant ; they terrorized the student body , vandalized the school and inducted members by forcing them to rape young girls , he says . `` I felt the social discrimination . I was afraid to walk down the street . '' Peñaflorida remembers standing up to a gang leader , refusing to join his gang . That confrontation proved fateful . At 16 , he and his friends `` got the idea to divert teenagers like us to be productive , '' he says . He created the Dynamic Teen Company to offer his classmates an outlet to lift up themselves and their community . For Peñaflorida , that meant returning to the slums of his childhood to give kids the education he felt they deserved . `` They need education to be successful in life . It 's just giving them what others gave to me , '' he says . Today , children ranging from ages 2 to 14 flock to the pushcart every Saturday to learn reading , writing , arithmetic and English from Peñaflorida and his trained teen volunteers . Watch Peñaflorida and his group in action with their push cart classroom '' `` Our volunteers serve as an inspiration to other children , '' he says . The group also runs a hygiene clinic , where children can get a bath and learn how to brush their teeth . Since 1997 , an estimated 10,000 members have helped teach more than 1,500 children living in the slums . The organization supports its efforts by making and selling crafts and collecting items to recycle . Take a look at the slums where Peñaflorida and his group spend their Saturdays '' Through his group , Peñaflorida has successfully mentored former gang members , addicts and dropouts , seeing potential where others see problems . `` Before , I really did n't care for my life , '' says Michael Advincula , who started doing drugs when he was 7 . `` But then Efren patiently dug me from where I was buried . It was Efren who pushed me to get my life together . '' Watch Advincula describe how he met Peñaflorida in the slums '' Today , Advincula is a senior in high school and one of the group 's volunteers . Peñaflorida hopes to expand the pushcart to other areas , giving more children the chance to learn and stay out of gangs . `` I always tell my volunteers that you are the change that you dream and I am the change that I dream . And collectively we are the change that this world needs to be . '' Want to get involved ? Check out the Dynamic Teen Company and see how to help . | Efren Peñaflorida was bullied by gangs in high school in the Philippines . Now his Dynamic Teen Company offers an alternative to gangs through education . Since 1997 , some 10,000 members have taught more than 1,500 children in slums . Vote now for the CNN Hero of the Year at CNN.com / Heroes . | [[790, 812], [820, 857], [117, 224], [858, 863], [866, 944], [1114, 1135], [1138, 1207], [3134, 3144], [3147, 3239]] |
-LRB- InStyle.com -RRB- -- Michelle Obama dazzled on the dance floor Tuesday night at the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball in Washington , wearing an elegant , one-shouldered ivory gown created for her by 26-year-old designer , Jason Wu . First lady Michelle Obama dazzled in a Jason Wu original gown . The one-of-a-kind silk chiffon confection was embellished with organza rosettes , Swarovski crystal rhinestones and silver embroidery . The first lady accessorized with diamond chandelier earrings , a white gold and diamond ring and a stack of diamond bangles by jeweler Loree Rodkin . The president summed up his wife 's look best before their first dance -- to Beyoncé 's rendition of `` At Last '' -- when he said , `` First of all , how good-looking is my wife ? '' Michelle Obama has worn Wu once before , during an interview with Barbara Walters . Wu , one of America 's leading young designers , debuted his first collection in February 2006 and has since earned accolades such as Fashion Group International 's Rising Star Award . Watch InStyle.com 's Joe Berean discuss the gown '' Obama was likely introduced to the designer in one of her favorite Chicago , Illinois , boutiques , Ikram . The new first lady has made a conscious effort to support young , diverse talent in the fashion community . In choosing Wu , who is originally from Taiwan , Obama continues a tradition of wearing American designers who hail from other countries . They include Cuban-American designers Isabel Toledo , who designed her yellow lace inauguration ensemble ; Narciso Rodriguez , designer of the red and black dress she wore on election night ; and designer Thakoon Panichgul , originally from Thailand , who designed the floral dress she wore the evening her husband accepted the Democratic nomination for president . Michelle Obama 's style statement is one meant to inspire ethnic and class diversity in the world of fashion . Aside from being a socially conscious purveyor of style , Obama also sends a clear message of hope and promise by choosing colorful , reasonably priced pieces . Watch the Obamas enjoy the night '' She prefers bright , cheerful shades such as yellow , electric blue , red and purple , and has been seen on multiple occasions in head-to-toe looks from moderately priced American retailer J.Crew . In fact , daughters Malia and Sasha braved Tuesday 's chilly weather in coats from the brand 's children 's collection . Michelle Obama was first seen in J.Crew during a visit to the `` Tonight Show '' with Jay Leno on October 27 . `` This is a J.Crew ensemble , '' she told the host . `` We ladies , we know J.Crew . '' The first lady also said she had a penchant for Internet shopping , saying , `` When you do n't have time , you got ta click ! '' Obama wore J.Crew again at the Kids ' Inaugural Concert on Monday . She gave the colorful ensemble a luxe spin with dangling green sapphire earrings from Loree Rodkin and a Deco-inspired belt buckle . InStyle magazine Fashion Director Hal Rubenstein appreciates Obama 's straightforward approach to fashion . `` People tend to think classic looks are synonymous with boring , but they 're not , '' he explains . `` Michelle Obama has a specific style that works for her . She has a lady-like approach to style that is elegant and inspiring . `` What we 'll see as a result is this idea of looking put-together and sophisticated , as opposed to being daring or flamboyant . It 's all about looking polished , like you know what you 're doing . '' Get a FREE TRIAL issue of InStyle - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2009 Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | First lady 's elegant , one-shouldered ivory gown created by 26-year-old Jason Wu . The one-of-a-kind silk chiffon confection was embellished with organza rosettes . Michelle Obama has tradition of wearing American designers from other nations . Her time-saving shopping secret -- buying on the Internet . | [[0, 23], [134, 220], [234, 253], [260, 297], [298, 433], [1305, 1319], [1354, 1411], [1393, 1411], [1416, 1443], [2637, 2651], [2657, 2702]] |
Atlanta , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A third beluga whale belonging to the world 's largest aquarium has died , the Georgia Aquarium announced late Monday . The exact cause of Nico 's sudden death on Saturday is inconclusive from the initial necropsy or animal autopsy . The Georgia Aquarium hopes to find out more information in the months ahead from a more detailed necropsy . `` As we work with and care for the many animals at the Georgia Aquarium , we become attached emotionally , '' said Dr. Gregory D. Bossart , chief veterinary officer at the aquarium . `` The loss is not unlike that of faithful dog or special horse that has been a part your life for years . '' Nico died at Sea World in San Antonio , where he and two other beluga whales had been moved temporarily while the Georgia Aquarium is undergoing renovation . Nico was scheduled to return home to Atlanta next month with companions Maris and Natasha . Nico arrived in Atlanta with Gaspar , two whales obtained from a park in Mexico . Both animals suffered `` significant health issues '' from their times in a foreign park and were essentially `` living on borrowed time , '' said Bossart , who had been caring for the two whales as far as nine years ago , while they were still in Mexico . `` We rescued Nico knowing that he had health issues due to his prior home , but we were confident that we could provide a better quality of life for his final years , '' Bossart said . Gaspar was suffering from a bone disease contracted before arriving at the downtown Atlanta aquarium and was euthanized in January 2007 . Another beluga whale , Marina , died 11 months later from complications of old age . Beluga whales or white whales , whose name is derived from a Russian word meaning white , typically live in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions including Canada , Russia , Greenland and the U.S. state of Alaska . They can live up to 35 years . The belugas are not the only high-profile deaths at the Georgia Aquarium , which opened in late 2005 . A pair of whale sharks have also died at the eight-million-gallon facility , the only one outside Asia to display the giant fish . CNN 's Dave Alsup contributed to this report . | After autopsy , the cause of Nico 's sudden death Saturday is inconclusive . Nico died at Sea World in San Antonio , where he was kept temporarily . The Georgia Aquarium is undergoing renovations , which is why Nico was moved . | [[157, 270], [673, 710], [699, 702], [713, 776], [783, 830]] |
MADRID , Spain -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A restaurateur has gone to great lengths to tackle the spread of the H1N1 virus in his eatery , including taking staff 's temperatures before they start work and preventing them from touching plates directly . Kitchen staff at Silk and Soya restaurant in Spain wear face masks and gloves while preparing food . Silk and Soya , a Thai-themed restaurant in Madrid , Spain , implemented the measures to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus , also known as swine flu , in the upscale locale . `` We implemented these measures so that our employees would serve only food , not a virus , '' restaurant owner Cipri Quintas told CNN . As well as employees having their temperatures taken before starting their shifts , windows are opened to aerate the restaurant before meals . Each table is set at least one meter -- 3.2 feet -- from any other table . Any member of the kitchen staff involved in food preparation must wear a mask and gloves , and waiters are required to hold napkins when carrying plates to avoid touching them directly with their hands . Upon entering the elevators leading to the top-floor restaurant , customers find an automatic disinfectant gel dispenser . At each table , diners find a packet of gel next to their silverware . The restaurant 's restroom doors are propped open , the lights turn on automatically and the faucets are hands-free -- measures intended to keep customers from having to touch surfaces after they 've washed their hands . Similar initiatives are under way around the world . Last spring , during the peak of the scare in Mexico City , restaurants were closed for 12 days . When the restaurants reopened , the government ordered owners to put extra space between the tables and not to allow more than half of seats to be filled at any given time ; cooks and waiters were mandated to wear surgical masks . The World Health Organization 's Web site states that hand-washing is one of the best ways to prevent infection and provides instructions with drawings that can be printed and posted in public places , such as restaurants . Silk and Soya 's Quintas started his anti-H1N1 measures in August and has already proved popular with some customers . Simona Savin , who was having lunch , told CNN , `` These are measures you do n't see everywhere . Here you have everything . They are great because there 's a need for hygiene . '' Another diner , swimming coach Fernando Barea , said , `` We came to the restaurant because we heard good things about it and I wanted to see these measures against the H1N1 flu . These measures should be used by other restaurants . '' Quintas predicted they soon will be . `` People from other businesses like hotels and theaters have called us asking , ` What have you done ? Can we come see your setup ? ' There 's been a big response , '' said Quintas . He insisted that his goal is not solely to garner publicity , but to protect his customers and staff -- a responsibility , he said , that the business community at large should undertake . One expert on the disease applauded the efforts and recommended they be broadened . `` They should implement them every winter against all respiratory diseases , '' said Dr. Tom Jefferson , a medical epidemiologist with the Cochrane Collaboration . The international organization reviews health care interventions and `` promotes the search for evidence in the form of clinical trials and other studies of interventions , '' according to its Web site . As of September 13 , the WHO had tallied more than 296,000 cases worldwide , 3,486 of them fatal . | Thai-themed restaurant in Madrid implements anti H1N1 flu measures . Employees have their temperatures taken , windows are opened , gel provided . Restaurant owner says there is `` a big response '' from other owners . | [[9, 30], [34, 168], [345, 358], [406, 470], [9, 30], [34, 168], [9, 30], [128, 243], [672, 713], [689, 742], [745, 803], [2814, 2842]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` All politics is local . '' That four-word statement , originally uttered by former Democratic House Speaker Tip O'Neill , is one of the favorite clichés of political pundits everywhere . But it 's seldom respected when it matters most . Consider , for instance , the special election in New York 's 23rd Congressional District , which conservative Democrat Bill Owens won in spite of partisan and nonpartisan polling that had shown Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman with a solid lead . Almost overnight , Hoffman became a sort of folk hero among conservative activists around the country , a decidedly ordinary-looking man who seemed poised to take an extraordinary path into Washington . Some 95 percent of his fundraising came from outside the district . Hoffman , indeed , had some initial success . The original Republican nominee , Dede Scozzafava , dropped out of the race after polling showed her trailing both Hoffman and Owens . But when push came to shove , Hoffman lost . Why ? Because those activists -- however well-meaning they might have been -- misunderstood the district . The 23rd is a Republican district , but it is not a particularly conservative one , having split its vote between Barack Obama and the moderate Republican John McHugh last November . If Nancy Pelosi is regarded suspiciously in the 23rd , so are Sarah Palin and Fred Thompson , who cut commercials and robocalls on behalf of Hoffman . What the voters there wanted was a candidate who understood them . Owens -- superior to Hoffman in his command of local issues -- provided the best approximation . Alternatively , consider the outcome in New Jersey , where Republican Chris Christie knocked off incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine . This election is being touted as a referendum on Obama , who took a risk -- a bad one , indeed -- by campaigning on behalf of Corzine . But Obama was the least of Corzine 's problems : Voters in Tuesday 's election approved of Obama 's performance 57 percent to 43 percent , according to exit polling . It was Corzine they did n't like ; 27 percent of the voters who approved of Obama nevertheless found someone other than the Democratic incumbent to vote for . Corzine , for his part , ran a polarizing campaign ; every time Christie 's name appeared in one of his commercials , it came with a scarlet -LRB- R -RRB- -- for Republican -- attached . Republicans are not popular in New Jersey , but local issues drove the race . Whereas three-quarters of Corzine 's voters cited a national issue -- health care or the economy -- as their primary reason for voting for him , two-thirds of Christie 's picked a local one -LRB- property taxes and corruption -RRB- . There is a much stronger case that national factors were in play in Virginia . The voters who turned out there Tuesday were more likely to have supported John McCain than Obama last year . Obama carried the state by 6 percentage points last year . But exit polls found that 51 percent of this year 's voters in Virginia were people who had voted for McCain . Even a strong Democratic candidate would have struggled under the circumstances . But Democrats also made a mistake in thinking that Creigh Deeds , who hails from rural Bath County on the West Virginia border and wears his upbringing on his sleeve , would be the best candidate to represent them in the state . In many other states -- Ohio , say -- it 's the rural , working-class vote that swings elections . But that 's not the case in Virginia , which is one of the wealthiest and most suburban states in the country . There , suburban moderates such as Mark Warner tend to do better . Deeds might have been the right candidate -- but he was in the wrong state . State-level politics , indeed , routinely differ from national ones . That 's why you have Democratic governors in red states such as Oklahoma and Wyoming , but Republican ones in blue states such as Vermont and Hawaii . That does not mean that local elections ca n't tell us anything about national trends -- the White House would be feeling better , certainly , if Democrats had won New Jersey , and likewise Republicans if they 'd won NY-23 . But usually the party that applies a one-size-fits-all approach to local races is the losing one . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Nate Silver . | This year 's elections more about local concerns than national ones , says Nate Silver . Special election in New York in a district that is n't particularly conservative , Silver says . New Jersey voters rejected Gov. Jon Corzine for local reasons , Silver says . Silver : In Virginia , Democrats had candidate who did n't appeal statewide . | [[2441, 2470], [2441, 2470]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Is the United States the `` greatest country on earth '' ? You hear that a lot , or phrases like that , during this presidential campaign . Candidates may attack other candidates , or the sitting president , but they never attack the idea that America is special , a `` city upon a hill . '' `` The last , best hope of Earth . '' It 's part of America 's ideology and its tradition of political rhetoric . To many Americans ' ears , it sounds normal . But to citizens of other countries it 's sometimes jarring , as if Americans put their country ahead of any other , as if the United States thinks it has the right to tell the rest of the world what to do . We went to the Jefferson Memorial in Washington , D.C. and asked visitors if they agree America `` knows best '' and the United States has an obligation to spread its values around the world . Almost everyone we talked with did not agree . Rachel Army , a teacher with a Washington , D.C. non-governmental organization , said : `` I have a lot of pride in our government however , at the same time , it is ours and I do n't think that it is right to force it on other people . '' Jermane Bonilla , from Los Angeles , said he thinks the United States is a special country , `` the most powerful nation on earth and the most beautiful country on earth , in my mind . '' But , he told us `` it might not be the same model that everybody should be using . '' They 're not the exception , it turns out . In their book , `` America Against the World , '' Pew Research Center President Andrew Kohut and journalist Bruce Stokes say it 's more often U.S. leaders who want to impose American values in other countries -- not the American people . The authors analyzed international surveys of people around the globe going back to the 1980 's as well as more than 100,000 interviews in 60 countries . Their conclusion ? `` Contrary to widespread misconceptions , Americans ' pride in their country is not evangelistic . The American people , as opposed to some of their leaders , seek no converts to their ideology . '' Citizens of many other countries , too , may think their national way of life is the best but , these authors say , `` they do n't dominate the globe . '' Americans may not be that different from others but the differences that do exist are magnified , fueling resentment around the world . E-mail to a friend . | `` U.S.A. the special '' is a staple of political rhetoric . Authors find citizens are proud but not evangelistic about the country . View is similar to citizens of other countries but it 's magnified by U.S. power . | [[360, 435], [929, 940], [1010, 1014], [1018, 1088], [1942, 1998]] |
-LRB- Entertainment Weekly -RRB- -- `` Whip It ! '' suggests what might have happened if Juno had gone to a high school as poky as Napoleon Dynamite 's and decided that although her mother wanted her to be a beauty queen like Little Miss Sunshine , she 'd rather just strap on roller skates . Ellen Page plays roller derby competitor Babe Ruthless in `` Whip It ! '' Only here the petite , droll , feisty , Ellen Page-like heroine played by Ellen Page is named Bliss . And her idea of sass while chatting up a cute rocker -LRB- Landon Pigg -RRB- in this desexualized , slow-speed grrrl-power sports fantasy is `` I 'm Bliss , but I could change that . '' Bliss does change her name , at least at the Roller Derby rink . She sneaks away from her square parents -LRB- Marcia Gay Harden as the U.S. Postal Service 's least likely mail carrier and Daniel Stern as a nice schlub who likes beer -RRB- to roll with a sisterly Austin team who call themselves the Hurl Scouts . There , she dubs herself Babe Ruthless , making up in speed what she lacks in muscled aggression . She 's heck on wheels , or so we are asked to believe : The rink footage is pretty un-whippy . Even Juliette Lewis , playing the film 's designated bad girl and Bliss/Babe 's nemesis on the rink , is more of a cute bee-yotch than a real threat . The movie is Drew Barrymore 's directorial debut -LRB- she also plays fellow Hurl Scout Smashley Simpson -RRB- , and it 's clear she 's more attuned to grrrlishness than real athletic power : Smashley is the first to scream '' Food fight ! '' and the 34-year-old actress leads the charge in kidlike mayhem . EW Grade : C + . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | `` Whip It ! '' marks Drew Barrymore 's directorial debut . Ellen Page plays woman who signs up for roller derby . Film leans towards softness , which hurts impact of roller derby . | [[407, 451]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Reality TV star Heidi Pratt was hospitalized Saturday in Costa Rica , her publicist confirmed . Heidi Pratt was taken to a hospital for an undisclosed illness , her publicist said Saturday . The details about Pratt 's hospitalization were not immediately available . Pratt , star of MTV 's `` The Hills , '' has been competing on NBC 's `` I 'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here , '' a reality show about surviving the jungle . Pratt and her husband , Spencer , tried to quit the show earlier in the week , but later decided to return . `` We realized that we made a big mistake and that the devil got to us and said , ` Get out of the jungle , ' '' Pratt said . `` We realized it 's not even about us . `` It 's about the charity , and it 's about the experience here and we took that for granted , '' she said . | Heidi Pratt was rushed to a hospital in Costa Rica for undisclosed illness . Pratt is currently appearing on `` I 'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here '' Pratt had blamed `` the devil '' for wanting to leave show earlier in week . | [[0, 15], [35, 86], [115, 177], [448, 469], [482, 524]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres will join the judges ' panel on `` American Idol '' for the show 's ninth season beginning in 2010 , a Fox spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday . Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres brings years of experience in front of a live audience to her role . `` I 'm thrilled to be the new judge on American Idol , '' DeGeneres said Wednesday . `` I 've watched since the beginning , and I 've always been a huge fan . So getting this job is a dream come true , and think of all the money I 'll save from not having to text in my vote . '' The popular comedian and entertainer will fill a seat left vacant by Paula Abdul , who announced she was leaving the show in August after eight seasons . Was DeGeneres the right replacement ? DeGeneres will sit alongside Simon Cowell , Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi after auditions are completed for the popular talent show , which starts in January . Until then , guest judges including Mary J. Blige , Kristin Chenoweth , Joe Jonas and Neil Patrick Harris will fill the empty slot , Fox said . Watch Jackson discuss what DeGeneres brings to the show '' `` We are thrilled to have Ellen DeGeneres join the `` American Idol '' judges ' table this season . She is truly one of America 's funniest people and a fantastic performer who understands what it 's like to stand up in front of audiences and entertain them every day , '' said Mike Darnell , president of Alternative Entertainment for Fox . `` We feel that her vast entertainment experience , combined with her quick wit and passion for music , will add a fresh new energy to the show . '' DeGeneres brings years of experience in front of a live audience as the host of `` The Ellen DeGeneres Show , '' now in its seventh season , and the host of the 79th Annual Academy Awards . In her new role , the Emmy Award-winning talk show host faces the task of winning over Abdul 's supporters , who lamented that her departure would irreparably alter the show . The singer-dancer turned `` Idol '' judge was known for her positive comments to the singers participating in the shows . She was also known for her on-camera run-ins with Cowell and other judges in the show . `` With sadness in my heart , I 've decided not to return to Idol . I 'll miss nurturing all the new talent , but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day 1 become an international phenomenon , '' a statement on Abdul 's verified Twitter account said last month . | The popular talk show host will fill seat on judges ' panel left empty by Paula Abdul . DeGeneres will will join the judges ' panel after the auditions , which begin in January . `` Think of all the money I 'll save from not having to text in my vote , '' DeGeneres says . | [[34, 101], [572, 652], [1157, 1230], [34, 101], [764, 856], [1157, 1230], [507, 568]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- There will be no criminal charges filed in the death of a Green Beret who was electrocuted in his quarters in Iraq last year , the Department of Defense said Friday . Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth , a 24-year-old Green Beret , died in a shower at his base in Iraq in January 2008 . The Army 's 11-month investigation `` concluded that there is insufficient evidence to prove or disprove that any one person , persons or entity was criminally culpable '' in the death of Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth , the Department of Defense said in a written statement . Maseth , a 24-year-old decorated Green Beret from Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , was electrocuted in a shower in his Baghdad quarters -- a former palace of deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein -- in January 2008 . `` The investigation revealed that there were numerous entities , individuals , both contractors and government employees , who breached their respective duties of care ; however , none of those breaches , in and of themselves , were the proximate cause of his death , '' the Army said . A report released last month from the Pentagon 's inspector general found that Maseth 's death stemmed from failures both by the U.S. military and by military contractor KBR . The company did not properly ground and inspect electrical equipment , the inspector general 's report found , while Maseth 's commanders failed to ensure that renovations to the building where he was based had been properly done . The Army did not set electrical standards for jobs or contractors . KBR has said the palace was not properly grounded by contractors when it was built . The Pentagon report concluded that KBR failed to ground a water pump at the building , and the company did not report improperly grounded equipment during routine maintenance . Maseth 's family is suing the company . After the Pentagon inspector general 's report Sens. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania , both Democrats , called on the Pentagon last month to take back more than $ 83 million in bonuses paid to KBR . Casey said the Pentagon should fine KBR : `` Make it hurt and make it count . '' The Department of Defense said there were 18 reported deaths caused by electrocution in Iraq since the war began and that a task force designed to assess fire and electrical safety issues in Iraq was created `` after a series of electrical accidents and incidents . '' The task force has inspected more than 67,000 of the approximately 90,000 pieces of equipment and facilities in Iraq . Almost 14,000 deficiencies have been corrected , the department said . | Army : Probe reveals `` numerous entities ... breached their respective duties '' Pentagon report last month found failures by U.S. military and contractor KBR . Family of Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth , 24 , is suing military contractor . Defense says nearly 14,000 deficiencies in gear and facilities have been fixed . | [[773, 894], [874, 894], [901, 941], [1061, 1236], [1061, 1128], [1061, 1236], [1799, 1838], [2534, 2580]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The young girl whispered in a hushed tone . She looked down as she spoke , only glancing up from her dark round eyes every now and then . She wanted to tell more , but she was too ashamed . She was just 9 years old when , she says , Congolese soldiers gang-raped her on her way to school . The young girl on the right says she was raped by Congolese soldiers . She was just 9 when it happened . `` These two soldiers nabbed her , put a bag over her head and pulled her into the bushes . She explains it as , ` They got me , ' '' says Sherrlyn Borkgren , who spent a month in the Democratic Republic of the Congo late last year . Borkgren , a wedding photographer and freelance journalist , traveled to the war-torn region of eastern Congo after being awarded the ShootQ Grant , a $ 10,000 award to free photographers from everyday life to pursue a project that raises awareness of an important global issue . Borkgren pauses when she speaks of meeting the girl . `` She was obviously very traumatized to repeat this out loud , and I do n't think she had repeated it to anyone . '' The young girl lied to her about her age when they first spoke . `` She said she was 15 when she was raped , '' Borkgren says . `` I figured she probably wanted to say she was 15 because it 's more acceptable than to say , ' I was 9 when they raped me . ' '' The United Nations estimates 200,000 women and girls have been raped in Congo over the last 12 years , when war broke out with Rwanda and Uganda backing Congolese rebels seeking to oust then-Congo President Laurent Kabila . Rape became a weapon of war , aid groups say . `` It is one of the worst places in the world to be a woman or girl , '' says Anneke Van Woudenberg , a senior researcher with Human Rights Watch who has spent the last 10 years focusing on Congo . `` These are often soldiers and combatants deliberately targeting women and raping them as a strategy of war , either to punish a community , to terrorize a community or to humiliate them . '' Most times , the women are raped by at least two perpetrators . `` Sometimes , that is done in front of the family , in front of the children , '' Van Woudenberg says . She sighs , `` What causes men to rape -- I wish I had an answer to that . '' Against this backdrop , U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , one of the world 's strongest voices for women 's rights , traveled to Congo as part of her whirlwind trip to Africa . Watch Clinton detail expectations for Africa '' Clinton arrived in Goma in eastern Congo Tuesday where she is to meet with rape victims during her visit . `` I hope that here in the -LSB- Congo -RSB- there will be a concerted effort to demand justice for women who are violently attacked , and to make sure that their attackers are punished , '' Clinton said Monday after a tour of a Kinshasa hospital . Human rights groups are eager to see if Clinton pressures Joseph Kabila , president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the son of Laurent Kabila , to do more to pursue charges against top army commanders accused of rape . `` Soldiers have committed gang rapes , rapes leading to injury and death , and abductions of girls and women , '' a report released last month by Human Rights Watch says . `` Their crimes are serious violations of international humanitarian law . Commanders have frequently failed to stop sexual violence and may themselves be guilty of war crimes or crimes against humanity as a consequence . '' Van Woudenberg says punishment , unfortunately , is all too rare for sex crimes . `` If you rape , you get away with it , '' she says . According to the United Nations , there were 15,996 new cases of sexual violence registered throughout Congo in 2008 . Nearly two out of every three rapes were carried out against children , most of them adolescent girls , the Human Rights Watch report says . A paltry 27 soldiers were convicted in military courts last year . Under the current court system , the military handles accusations of rape against its soldiers -- something aid groups say must be changed for real accountability . Since January of this year , aid organizations say there 's been a surge of violence against civilians as a result of Congolese operations against Rwandan Hutu rebels , some of whom are believed to have participated in 1994 's Rwandan genocide . The fighting has left more than 1.8 million people displaced in the volatile region , according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees . Aid groups have started to see an uptick of rapes of men this year , although women and girls remain the primary targets . `` The brutality has increased on a huge scale , '' Van Woudenberg says . She says she interviewed one 15-year-old girl who was held in a hole for five months and gang-raped nearly every day . She had gone out shopping when soldiers approached . `` They asked me to take off my clothes , and I did . There was n't much I could do , '' the girl told her . `` They took me into the bush . I stayed for five months with these people , and when I came back , I was five months pregnant . '' Van Woudenberg adds , `` Gosh , the brutality against the women and girls is unimaginable . '' Congo has taken some measures to try to curb the sexual violence . In 2006 , its parliament passed a law criminalizing rape , with penalties ranging from five to 20 years . Penalties are doubled under certain circumstances , including gang-rape and if the perpetrator is a public official . Kabila 's wife , Olive Lemba Kabila , has launched a public campaign speaking out against rapes of the nation 's women and girls . The army has also started a zero-tolerance campaign in which commanders have emphasized to troops that they must respect human rights and protect civilians from harm , according to the U.N. . In May , the United Nations handed over the names of five top military officers accused of rape . Two of the senior officers are now detained in the capital of Kinshasa and the three others must report to authorities under close observation . `` It 's expected that a trial could happen soon , '' said U.N. spokesman Yves Sorokobi . `` It certainly is a big development . ... It 's important . It 's significant . '' Still more must be done , aid groups say , starting with the establishment of a special court made up of Congolese and international judges and prosecutors to investigate rape allegations . Borkgren , the photographer from Eugene , Oregon , says she went to the Congo after having a dream in which two women yelled at her to `` come over here . '' She won the grant and traveled there for four weeks , beginning in November of last year . She hitchhiked her way around the country , something she now admits was `` a little bit stupid . '' She says she once came face-to-face with soldiers when she was shopping at a market by herself . One of the men said he wanted to `` take me up to his camp . '' She still ca n't shake the looks of the local women who were there . `` That was interesting , '' she says . `` When the soldiers were harassing me , the women looked ashamed of the soldiers . And when they saw me tell them , ` No , go away , ' the women looked at me quite surprised . '' Eventually , she found the girl who touched her heart -- `` the great , great kid . '' Borkgren first spoke with her father , who was initially reluctant to introduce her to his daughter . He explained that the family had gone to authorities , only to be ignored . Borkgren says that when she met the girl , they got along instantly . At times , the young child did n't know how to describe what happened . `` She would say , ' I do n't understand what it is , and I do n't know what words to use . ' '' `` It just turned my heart to think that here 's this little girl who does n't even have the words to describe what happened to her , and has to live her life having had this violence put upon her . Just this thoughtless violence that she did n't deserve or ask for . It 's so inhumane . '' Her images capture a glimpse into that world , of savagery and lost innocence . The soldiers and rebels carrying out the rapes , she says , are misguided people who need help . Caught in the middle are the innocents : women , girls and fathers struggling to get justice . | UN : 200,000 women , girls raped in Democratic Republic of Congo in last 12 years . Photographer Sherrlyn Borkgren met a girl who detailed being raped by soldiers . `` Two soldiers nabbed her , put a bag over her head and pulled her into the bushes '' Aid worker : Congo `` is one of the worst places in the world to be a woman or girl '' | [[1359, 1411], [1388, 1459], [3622, 3653], [5796, 5819], [241, 249], [252, 308], [309, 379], [342, 379], [4707, 4816], [417, 446], [414, 422], [449, 472], [414, 415], [477, 505], [4982, 5010], [1633, 1675], [1676, 1697]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has been asked to investigate whether Panama tortured an Ecuadorian citizen who was being held as an illegal immigrant , an official hemispheric human rights organization said . Jesus Tranquilino Velez Loor was arrested November 11 , 2002 , and deported to Ecuador on September 10 , 2003 . During that time , he was held without receiving procedural guarantees , the right to be heard and the right to present a defense , said the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights . `` The case also involves the lack of investigation of complaints of torture presented by Mr. Velez Loor before the Panamanian authorities , as well as the inhumane conditions of detention under which he was held in several Panamanian penitentiaries , '' the human rights commission said in a release Tuesday . The human rights panel , which is part of the 35-nation Organization of American States , said it referred the case to the court last week because Panama did not adopt sufficient measures to address issues raised in a previous commission report . Velez Loor `` was sentenced to a prison term for having repeatedly entered Panama illegally . ... Panamanian law provides that foreign nationals , who repeatedly enter Panama , without the necessary papers , will be imprisoned for two years and then deported , '' Panama said in a 2006 report . Velez Loor admitted he had gone into Panama without proper papers or visas . The commission said it received an e-mailed complaint from Velez Loor on February 10 , 2004 , `` in which he claims to have undergone torture , forced isolation , and mistreatment at the hands of Panamanian police officers at two Panamanian detention centers without being given the opportunity to defend himself , without the benefit of any court of law , without being allowed to make a telephone call and while being deprived of all medical care . '' Panama denied those allegations in the 2006 human rights commission report . Officials at the Panamanian embassy in Washington did not return a telephone request Tuesday from CNN for comment on the latest development . The human rights commission consists of seven members who act in a personal capacity , without representing any country , and who are elected by the OAS General Assembly . | Commission says it received complaint from Velez Loor in 2004 of alleged torture . Velez Loor sentenced to prison term for illegal entry into Panama , Panama says . Officials at Panamanian embassy in Washington did not return request for comment . | [[1476, 1569], [1576, 1636], [1104, 1148], [2007, 2148]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Actor Tim Roth is in an abandoned building near downtown Los Angeles , and he 's about to mix things up . British actor Tim Roth plays a human lie detector on the hit series `` Lie to Me . '' `` This is a scene where the FBI is interrogating a suspect , '' Roth said . `` I 'm breaking into the interrogation to get information out of him using the sort of techniques that my character espouses as opposed to pressuring him . '' Roth , who plays Dr. Cal Lightman on the hit Fox series `` Lie to Me , '' is shooting scenes for the season finale , which will air May 13 . His character is an expert on body language and the detection of deception . `` Our series is based on the idea that we can read what 's going on across your face and if it 's contradicting what you 're actually saying , '' Roth said . Lightman and his colleague , Dr. Gillian Foster -- played by Kelli Williams -- run `` The Lightman Group . '' They observe body language and interpret what it means in order to help law enforcement agencies see through the bull . His character is based on Dr. Paul Ekman , a specialist who reads clues embedded in the human face , body and voice to expose the truth in criminal investigations . Ekman , who in 2001 was named as one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th century by the American Psychological Association , is a scientific consultant for the show . Roth says Ekman can be intimidating . `` He makes me very , very nervous , Paul , you know , '' he said . `` I mean , he 's the sweetest man , as sweet as can be , but when he 's around , you feel like your acting is really being judged . '' Roth is perhaps best known for his outings with famed director Quentin Tarantino . The British actor pulled off a convincing American accent in the cult classics `` Reservoir Dogs '' and `` Pulp Fiction . '' He uses his true-Brit accent in `` Lie to Me , '' which debuted in January and is one of the season 's few successful new dramas . In a review for Entertainment Weekly , critic-at-large Ken Tucker wrote that `` Like ` Monk ' and ` Psych ' and ` The Mentalist , ' ` Lie ' offers us an eccentric who 's brought in by law enforcement to solve crimes . '' Though he gave the show a B-minus , Tucker praised Roth for `` resist -LSB- ing -RSB- the cuddly/cranky . '' The show has quickly found its fan base , though ratings have declined slightly since the show was put in its 8 p.m. Wednesday time slot , ahead of `` American Idol . '' -LRB- The first five episodes aired after `` Idol . '' -RRB- . `` I got stopped because one of my lights was out and I was coming back from work and the guy , the cop that stopped me said ` Oh , we watch your show ' and they seemed to enjoy it , '' said Roth . `` ER '' alum Mekhi Phifer is set to join the cast as an FBI agent for two episodes this season , starting Thursday . `` I 'm here to kick ass and take names , you know . So it 's kind of different , '' Phifer said . `` It 's fun , you know . Obviously , I carry a gun and I 'm in law enforcement rather than being a doctor . '' Phifer particularly likes acting in intense scenes with Roth . `` I have my own way of doing it , '' he said . `` It 's a little different than the way Tim does it . It 's a lot of fun , and we 're having a great time . '' And will time spent on the show help Phifer better detect when people are lying to him in real life ? `` It 's going to take a few more episodes , but I 'm pretty perceptive , '' he said . Roth , however , makes no claims of special powers -- at least when he 's away from the set . `` I try not to know too much , because it actually is quite extraordinary , '' he says . `` When you watch politicians on TV , you can use the stuff that Paul does to see if they 're lying or not . I try not to take it home . '' | British actor Tim Roth stars in the hit Fox series `` Lie to Me '' Actor best known for his appearances in Quentin Tarantino films . Roth plays a body language expert who can detect liars . `` ER '' alum Mekhi Phifer is set to join the cast . | [[150, 217], [473, 477], [484, 528], [1668, 1750], [1668, 1672], [1689, 1750], [150, 217], [614, 690], [2768, 2863]] |
BROOKLYN , New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Every Friday evening , the Nunez family sits down to a traditional religious dinner . Moshe Nunez and his family moved to Crown Heights , a New York neighborhood with thousands of Hasidic Jews . Like most families in their Crown Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn , New York , their Jewish Sabbath meal includes blessings over the wine and bread , the company of family and friends and excellent food . But for the Nunez family , the Sabbath table would not be complete without salsa picada and jalapeno dip . Moshe Nunez , an information technology consultant and motivational speaker , was born to a Mexican father and American mother and raised in Guadalajara , Mexico . His wife , ChanaLeah , grew up in Panama , the daughter of a Salvadoran mother and American-born father . `` Our home is a Latin American home , '' Nunez says . `` We bring into our home a mixture of the American and Latin culture , and that 's reflected in the way we eat . We also enjoy hosting guests , so it 's a very Hispanic thing , and a Jewish thing . '' The couple and their two children moved to Brooklyn 's Crown Heights area about five years ago so their son , Michael , 17 , and daughter , Simcha , 18 , could have `` the best Jewish education available , '' Nunez says . Crown Heights is the headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement , a branch of Hasidism that is itself a form of Orthodox Judaism . Among the thousands of Hasidic families in the neighborhood , a significant number are also Latinos , Nunez says . `` There are a lot of Latin American Jews here , '' Nunez says . `` Some of them have moved from countries like Venezuela , Colombia and Argentina , where there 's political unrest . We make a life here , settle down and become part of the fabric of American society , but we still do n't lose our roots . '' Join the conversation : How has America changed Latinos ? Many non-Jewish Latinos are surprised to see Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn who speak Spanish , carry on their Hispanic traditions and even keep up with soccer scores from their home countries , Nunez says . Although Moshe and ChanaLeah Nunez were raised in Christian homes , they believe that Moshe 's family name is proof that his ancestors are Marranos -- Jews who were forced to denounce or abandon their faith centuries ago in Europe . Moshe Nunez began studying his family genealogy about 13 years ago , while the family was living in Atlanta , Georgia . He met Lorraine Nunez , a woman raised as a Christian who believed she was a direct descendant of Samuel Nunez , a Portuguese physician who fled Europe in the early 1700s to help start one of the oldest Jewish synagogues in the United States , Congregation Mikve Israel in Savannah , Georgia . Like other Marranos living in Europe , Samuel Nunez pretended to be Catholic and practiced Judaism in secret , according to Chabad.org , the Chabad-Lubavitch movement 's Web site . Meeting Lorraine Nunez inspired Moshe Nunez -- who was still going by his Christian name , Marco -- to further explore his own genealogy . ChanaLeah -- who was going by her Christian name , Jacqueline -- had already known that her grandfather , a well-known army colonel in El Salvador , was Jewish . Like many Jews of his time , he hid his Judaism and married a non-Jewish woman . Marco and Jacqueline believed that their descendants were also Marranos from Spain and Portugal who had to hide their Judaism for fear of persecution . `` The Nunez family started as a Jewish name , '' Moshe Nunez says . `` During the Inquisition they were forced to convert or practice their faith in secret . Most of the Nunez family ... like mine assimilated and lost their Judaism . '' Watch Nunez talk about his life in Crown Heights '' While researching his genealogy , Moshe Nunez also began to study the Bible more closely , including the Torah , the first five books of the Old Testament . `` When I began studying the Torah , I saw that the Sabbath was on Saturday and not Sunday , '' he says . `` That opened -LSB- a -RSB- Pandora 's Box , '' he says , figuring that `` if the Jews had the Sabbath right , maybe they have other stuff right , too . '' Around that time , the Nunez family relocated to Milan , Italy , for Nunez ' work as a consultant . Marco and Jacqueline -- who changed their names to the Hebrew Moshe and ChanaLeah while in Italy -- continued their Judaic studies under the tutelage of Orthodox rabbis and decided to undergo an Orthodox conversion to Judaism . `` When I got to Italy and continued to research our family name and studied the Torah , I decided we were going to live a Jewish life , '' Nunez says . The Jewish community in Milan welcomed the family `` with open arms , '' Moshe said . `` The rabbi said to me , ` Moshe , you are Jewish , you were always Jewish . ' '' Moshe says he and ChanaLeah `` took every step together , '' going through a formal conversion process . As part of the process Moshe and his son had ritual circumcisions . -LRB- They had both been circumcised at birth . -RRB- . The final step was for the family to appear before a Beit Din , or religious council , to approve the conversion . `` We decided we had to make our full return to Judaism , and we had such good mazal -LRB- luck -RRB- because the rabbis made it relatively easy . They saw that we were serious people that had studied the religion , '' Nunez says . The Nunez family 's story is not out of the ordinary , says Rabbi Shea Rubenstein , an Argentine rabbi who leads the Jewish Latin American Connection at The Shul in Surfside , Florida . `` We have a very vibrant synagogue , and a very large percentage happen to be from Spanish background from countries such as Venezuela , Peru , Argentina , Mexico and Cuba , '' the rabbi says . Rubenstein says that quite a few non-Jewish Hispanics come to The Shul to learn more about Judaism , and while they may not be able to prove they are Jewish , they believe they are descendants of Jews and seek to reconnect with their Jewish roots . If a person wants to practice Judaism but can not verify their Jewish roots , Rubenstein recommends they go through a formal conversion as the Nunez family did . `` It 's difficult to verify because there 's some 400 or 500 years of history that people can not trace , especially since Judaism is passed through the mother and the last name reflects that of the father , '' Rubenstein says . Inspired by their experiences , Moshe and ChanaLeah -- both songwriters and musicians -- wrote a song called `` Jews of Spain , '' with lyrics in Spanish , English and Hebrew . Nunez recorded the song , part of the album `` Kol Haneshema -LRB- Every Soul -RRB- . '' Aside from his work as a consultant and musician , Nunez leads seminars , conducts a weekly program called Quality Life Now at the Empire State Building and teaches weekly Webinars from his Brooklyn home . His seminars , taught in both Spanish and English , focus on seven core values found in the Old Testament . The seven values are often referred to as the Noahide Laws . According to the Bible , the laws were given from God to Noah to serve as a moral code for all humankind . `` I 've taken the seven Noahide Laws and I teach them as universal core values , so everyday people can apply them to their lifestyle , '' Nunez says . He says he hopes to share his teachings with all of mankind , regardless of religion , to help them lead a more meaningful life . `` Sharing the knowledge of Torah to the world through education , songs and acts of kindness will help ensure that what happened to the Marranos during the Inquisition will never happen again . '' | Moshe and ChanaLeah Nunez are Latino Jews who were raised in Christian homes . Nunez believes he is a decendant of Jews who left oppression in medieval Europe . He and his wife converted to Judaism and moved to a Hasidic New York area . The couple and their children blend Latino and Jewish culture in their lives . | [[2124, 2180], [2492, 2521], [5953, 6042], [125, 174], [4287, 4307], [4460, 4514], [875, 941]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The reaction to Kanye West 's hijacking of the microphone from Taylor Swift during her acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards came quickly and unequivocally . Kanye West took the microphone from Taylor Swift during her speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards . Celebrities and fans alike expressed their disapproval of West interrupting Swift 's win for Best Female Video to tout his appreciation of nominee Beyonce . `` Taylor , I 'm really happy for you , '' West said after grabbing the microphone from a clearly stunned Swift . `` I 'll let you finish , but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time ! One of the best videos of all time ! '' Elliott Wilson , founder and chief executive officer of Rap Radar , sat in front of members of West 's entourage at the live Sunday night awards show and said the mood quickly turned from one of surprised amusement to anger . Watch West grab the microphone from Swift '' `` At first , people were n't sure if it was kind of like a gag , '' Wilson said . `` You could feel everybody being nervous and not knowing if it was a prank or something . Then people started booing him really loud . '' Wilson said he believes that West -- who he said bounded on stage from his seat in the front row near Beyonce -- intended to have his say before allowing Swift to continue but said the rapper became angered by the crowd response in a moment that was n't captured by the MTV cameras . `` The reaction to his tantrum was so strong ... and what happened was , he gave everybody the finger , '' Wilson said . Stars taking to Twitter returned the sentiment with some harsh words for the sometimes mercurial rap star . Singer Pink tweeted , `` Kanye West is the biggest piece of -LSB- expletive -RSB- on earth . Quote me , '' and Joel Madden of the band Good Charlotte tweeted , `` All i 'm saying is Taylor Swift is a young chic and you just walk up and grab the mic . '' Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton said via Twitter that `` Taylor Swift deserved that award , damnit . It is what THE PEOPLE voted ! My heart broke for her , she looked so sad at the end of that moment . '' Singer Katy Perry weighed in with `` F -- u Kanye . It 's like you stepped on a kitten . '' VMA nominee Kelly Clarkson took to her blog to publish an open letter to West . `` What happened to you as a child ?? Did you not get hugged enough ?? '' she asked . On Monday , `` Taylor Swift , '' `` VMAs , '' `` Kanye 's '' and `` Beyonce '' were top trending topics on Twitter . Watch Swift respond to what happened '' Wilson , a noted hip-hop journalist , said there was a great deal of tension inside the event Sunday night before West and his girlfriend , model Amber Rose , left the show . `` It was almost like wrestling , when the good guy turns bad and the crowd turns on him , '' Wilson said . `` Every time his name was mentioned , people booed . '' Wilson said he believes that alcohol may have played a part in West 's actions , given that the rapper appeared both on the red carpet and inside the arena with a bottle of cognac . Wilson added that West is well known for such behavior . He appeared uninvited onstage at the 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards , walked out of the 2004 American Music Awards after losing in the Best New Artist category and reportedly threw a backstage tantrum at the 2007 VMAs because he did not perform on the main stage . `` I think Kanye came in to be the bad boy , but he obviously had an emotional spaz moment because he is cool '' with Beyonce and her husband , Jay-Z , Wilson said . `` I think the alcohol blurred his judgment . '' Wilson said attendees at the awards show were allowed to have drinks at their seats . Emil Wilbekin , managing editor of Essence.com , said West may have gone too far with his antics this time . `` I think that it was not Kanye 's place to speak for Beyonce or to ruin Taylor Swift 's moment , '' Wilbekin said . `` It 's OK for Kanye to rattle off about himself , but I think he crossed the line when he decided to speak for other people . '' Though West is known for having a healthy ego , Wilbekin said , his actions may be damaging the very legacy the rapper claims to want to leave . `` He 's talked about wanting to be Elvis ; he 's talked about wanting to be the new king of pop , '' Wilbekin said . `` It 's almost like he 's overshadowing himself by getting in his own way with his mouth . '' West apologized to Swift via his blog . As for Swift , the young singer gave her acceptance speech after Beyonce graciously invited her onstage during her win for Video of the Year . West 's disruption was n't the only one the evening offered , Wilson said . During a performance by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys , rapper Lil Mama rushed the stage . Wilson said that from his vantage point in the audience , the female rapper , who also serves as a judge on MTV 's `` America 's Best Dance Crew , '' was neither expected nor wanted as part of the performance . iReport : Is civility dead ? The stars ' behavior might have long-lasting consequences , Wilson added . `` I would n't be surprised if MTV banned alcohol -LSB- at the event -RSB- next year , '' he said . | Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift 's VMA acceptance speech . Celebs take to Twitter and blogs to express outrage . West is well-known for shocking behavior . VMA attendee : `` Every time his name was mentioned , people booed '' | [[192, 295], [296, 406], [3087, 3143], [3105, 3143], [1131, 1175], [2848, 2884], [2887, 2901], [2902, 2904], [3622, 3662]] |
PRETORIA , South Africa -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The president of Athletics South Africa has admitted that he lied about gender tests on runner Caster Semenya before her gold-medal win at the World Athletics Championships last month . Caster Semenya celebrates her gold at the world championships in Berlin . The national sports body has always denied that it agreed to the tests before the race in Berlin , Germany -- an event that kicked off international controversy over the 18-year-old Semenya 's gender . But after South Africa 's Mail & Guardian newspaper printed e-mails on Friday showing that ASA President Leonard Chuene was aware of the tests , he held a news conference to apologize . `` I now realize that it was an error of judgment and I would like to apologize unconditionally , '' Chuene said on Saturday , according to South Africa 's SAPA news agency . After receiving the results of the tests , the South Africa team doctor requested the 18-year-old Semenya be withdrawn from the 800-meter race she ended up winning , Chuene said . But Chuene said he refused to do it because the sport 's international governing body did not request withdrawal . He also said withdrawing Semenya might have looked bad . `` If we did not let her run , we would be confirming that she is not normal , '' Chuene told the news conference in the capital , Pretoria . The e-mails printed by the Mail & Guardian are an exchange between team doctor Harold Adams and ASA General Manager Molatelo Malehopo , with Chuene copied in . `` After thinking about the current confidential matter I would suggest that we make the following decisions , '' Adams wrote on August 5 , more than a week before the Berlin race . `` 1 . We get a -LRB- gynecological -RRB- opinion and take it to Berlin . 2 . We do nothing and I will handle these issues if they come up in Berlin . Please think and get back to me ASAP . '' An e-mail response from Malehopo to Adams , sent the same day , says : `` I will suggest that you go ahead with the necessary tests that the IAAF might need . '' The controversy over Semenya erupted after she crushed her rivals in the 800 meters and secured victory in one minute , 55.45 seconds -- the best women 's time in the world this year . Semenya 's masculine build and dominant performance fueled existing questions about her gender , and the International Association of Athletics Federations -- which oversees the sport worldwide -- ordered tests on her . Reports in two newspapers last week said the results of the tests showed Semenya has both male and female characteristics . The IAAF declined to confirm those reports and said a decision in the case would come in late November . The IAAF said it sought tests on Semenya 's gender before the Berlin championships because questions had been raised after her winning performance at the African junior championships in July . South Africans have rallied behind Semenya , angrily dismissing reports about her gender . Semenya 's relatives and the South Africa team manager have maintained she is female . This week , South Africa 's minister for women , children and people with disabilities wrote to the United Nations to complain that Semenya had not been treated in line with international protocols on gender and quality . Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya sent a letter to the U.N. Division for the Advancement of Women , urging it to investigate , SAPA reported . `` The questioning of her gender is based on a stereotypic view of the physical features and abilities attributable to women , '' she wrote in the letter , according to SAPA . `` Such stereotypes demonstrate the extent of patriarchy within the world 's sporting community . '' The process of gender verification has undergone big changes since it was first introduced for international competition in the 1960s , the IAAF said . The first mechanism involved `` rather crude and perhaps humiliating physical examinations , '' which soon gave way to mouth swabs to collect chromosomes . There were too many uncertainties with mouth swabs , so the IAAF abandoned them in 1991 and the International Olympic Committee discontinued them in 2000 . A proper test has yet to be found , the IAAF said , and the current tests are considered a good interim solution . | President of Athletics South Africa admits that he lied about gender tests . National sports body had denied it agreed to tests on runner before Berlin race . Leonard Chuene apologizes in aftermath of controversy over Caster Semenya . E-mails reveal that team doctor had advised not allowing her to compete . | [[0, 8], [11, 39], [70, 228], [303, 399], [866, 906], [909, 1008]] |
TOKYO , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Had this custody drama played out in the United States , Christopher Savoie might be considered a hero -- snatching his two little children back from an ex-wife who defied the law and ran off with them . A Tennessee court awarded Christopher Savoie custody of his son , Isaac , and daughter , Rebecca . But this story unfolds 7,000 miles away in the Japanese city of Fukuoka , where the U.S. legal system holds no sway . And here , Savoie sits in jail , charged with the abduction of minors . And his Japanese ex-wife -- a fugitive in the United States for taking his children from Tennessee -- is considered the victim . `` Japan is an important partner and friend of the U.S. , but on this issue , our points of view differ , '' the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo said Tuesday . `` Our two nations approach divorce and child-rearing differently . Parental child abduction is not considered a crime in Japan . '' The story begins in the Nashville suburb of Franklin , Tennessee , with the January divorce of Savoie from his first wife , Noriko , a Japanese native . The ex-wife had agreed to live in Franklin to be close to the children , taking them to Japan for summer vacations . Savoie in March requested a restraining order to prevent his ex-wife from taking the children to Japan , saying she had threatened to do so , according to court documents obtained by CNN affiliate WTVF and posted on the station 's Web site . A temporary order was issued , but then lifted following a hearing . `` If Mother fails to return to Tennessee -LSB- after summer vacation -RSB- with the children following her visitation period , she could lose her alimony , child support and education fund , which is added assurance to Father that she is going to return with the children , '' Circuit Court Judge James G. Martin III noted in his order on the matter . After that ruling , Christopher Savoie tried to have Martin recuse himself , as he was a mediator in the case prior to becoming a judge , said Marlene Eskind Moses , Noriko Savoie 's attorney . But that request was denied , as Savoie earlier said he had no concerns about Martin hearing the matter . Following the summer trip , Noriko Savoie did return to the United States , and Christopher Savoie then took the children on a vacation , returning them to his ex-wife , his attorney , Paul Bruno , told CNN . Watch latest report on Savoie 's situation '' But days later , on the first day of classes for 8-year-old Isaac and 6-year-old Rebecca , the school called Savoie to say his children had n't arrived , Bruno said . Police checked Noriko Savoie 's home and did not find the children . Concerned , Savoie called his ex-wife 's father in Japan , who told him not to worry . `` I said , ` What do you mean -- do n't worry ? They were n't at school . ' ` Oh , do n't worry , they are here , ' '' Savoie recounted the conversation to CNN affiliate WTVF earlier this month . `` I said , ` They are what , they are what , they are in Japan ? ' '' The very thing that Savoie had predicted in court papers had happened -- his wife had taken their children to Japan and showed no signs of returning , Bruno said . After Noriko Savoie took the children to Japan , Savoie filed for and received full custody of the children , Bruno said . And Franklin police issued an arrest warrant for his ex-wife , the television station reported . But there was a major hitch : Japan is not a party to the 1980 Hague Convention on international child abduction . The international agreement standardizes laws , but only among participating countries . So while Japanese civil law stresses that courts resolve custody issues based on the best interest of the children without regard to either parent 's nationality , foreign parents have had little success in regaining custody . Japanese family law follows a tradition of sole custody divorces . When a couple splits , one parent typically makes a complete and lifelong break from the children . In court documents filed in May , Noriko Savoie denied that she was failing to abide by the terms of the couple 's court-approved parenting plan or ignoring court-appointed parent coordinators . She added she was `` concerned about the stability of Father , his extreme antagonism towards Mother and the effect of this on the children . '' Noriko Savoie could not be reached by CNN for comment . Bruno said he helped Christopher Savoie pursue legal remedies to recover the children , working with police , the FBI and the State Department . `` We tried to do what we could to get the kids back , '' Bruno said . `` There was not a whole lot we can do . '' `` Our court system failed him , '' said Diane Marshall , a court-appointed parent coordinator who helped Savoie make decisions about the children . `` It 's just a mess . '' But Moses , Noriko Savoie 's attorney , told CNN that the children 's father had other legal options . The International Association for Parent-Child Reunion , formed in Japan this year , claims to know of more than 100 cases of children abducted by non-custodial Japanese parents . And the U.S. State Department says it is not aware of a single case in which a child taken from the United States to Japan has been ordered returned by Japanese courts -- even when the left-behind parent has a U.S. custody decree . Facing such statistics and the possibility of never seeing his kids again , Savoie took matters into his own hands . He flew to Fukuoka . And as his ex-wife walked the two children to school Monday morning , Savoie drove alongside them . He grabbed the kids , forced them into his car , and drove off , said police in Fukuoka . Watch CNN panel discuss Savoie 's legal options '' He headed for the U.S. consulate in that city to try to obtain passports for Isaac and Rebecca . But Japanese police , alerted by Savoie 's ex-wife , were waiting . Consulate spokeswoman Tracy Taylor said she heard a scuffle outside the doors of the consulate . She ran up and saw a little girl and a man , whom police were trying to talk to . Eventually , police took Savoie away , charging him with the abduction of minors -- a charge that carries a jail sentence of up to five years . Bruno said if the situation were reversed and a Japanese parent had abducted a Japanese child and fled to America , U.S. courts would `` correct that problem , because it 's a crime . '' He said he has `` concerns about Japan ... providing a place for people to abduct children and go to . The parent left behind does not have recourse . '' He added , `` the president and his administration should do something to correct this . '' The consulate met with Savoie on Monday and Tuesday , Taylor said . It has provided him with a list of local lawyers and said it will continue to assist . Meanwhile , the international diplomacy continues . During the first official talks between the United States and Japan 's new government , the issue of parental abductions was raised . But it is anybody 's guess what happens next to Savoie , who sits in a jail cell . CNN 's Kyung Lah in Tokyo , Japan , and Aaron Cooper , Saeed Ahmed and Carolina Sanchez in Atlanta , Georgia , contributed to this report . | Ex-wife 's attorney says dad had other legal options besides grabbing kids . American dad tries to snatch children from ex-wife who took them to Japan . She is a fugitive in Tennessee , but has broken no law in Japan . Father , who has legal custody in U.S. , charged in Japan with abduction . | [[4835, 4840], [4871, 4933], [90, 108], [139, 193], [530, 550], [586, 624], [3088, 3133], [5168, 5169], [5191, 5236], [5295, 5345]] |
MUTARE , Zimbabwe -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Zimbabwean court ordered a senior opposition politician back to jail Wednesday to await his trial , set to begin next week . Roy Bennett talks to the press in March 2009 , a few moments after being released on bail . `` I commit the accused to prison , '' Magistrate Lucy Mungwari said as she announced the ruling in Roy Bennett 's case to a packed courtroom in Mutare , about 185 miles southeast of the capital , Harare . Bennett , a Movement for Democratic Change politician and an ardent critic of President Robert Mugabe 's policies , was arrested on February 13 -- just before he was to be sworn in as deputy agriculture minister in the new power-sharing government . He faces charges of possessing weapons for sabotage , banditry and terrorism . Initially he had been charged with treason . Immediately after the ruling , prison guards whisked away a visibly shocked Bennett , clad in khaki trousers , brown shoes and a checked shirt . `` We are really worried by this development , '' said Bennett 's lawyer , Trust Maanda . `` We are trying all possibilities to have him released . We will be at the high court this evening to seek his liberty . '' State prosecutor Chris Mutangadura said the development was a `` natural effect of the law . '' `` It is procedural , '' Mutangadura said . `` He had to be indicted to the high court , and that means he loses his liberty until the trial resumes . '' `` If there is any defect in the process , the accused should raise it with the high court , '' said the magistrate , Mungwari . A spokesman for Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said the premier has tried to meet with Mugabe since hearing that Bennett was sent back to jail . Tsvangirai has not been granted access by Mugabe 's employees , said spokesman James Maridadi . `` The prime minister has suspended the council of ministers ' meeting he chairs on Thursdays , '' Maridadi said . '' ... He is meeting his party leadership first thing on Thursday . '' The arrest of Bennett , a white coffee grower whose property was expropriated under the country 's controversial land reform laws , came as other ministers where being sworn into the coalition government formed by Mugabe and Tsvangirai . The action almost derailed the power-sharing deal , which had been brokered by the regional Southern African Development Community after a hotly disputed election won by Mugabe last year . Bennett spent about a month in jail before the country 's Supreme Court ordered him released on bail in March . Movement for Democratic Change spokesman Nelson Chamisa called Wednesday 's ruling `` a ridiculous and extraordinary development . '' He said it was a `` serious abuse of the law , which will affect the coalition government , '' and added , `` We are not going to sit and watch this abuse go on . '' | Bennett is a Movement for Democratic Change politician . He is arrested before he was to be sworn in as deputy agriculture minister . He faces charges of possessing weapons for sabotage , banditry and terrorism . PM is trying to meet with President Mugabe about the latest development . | [[621, 711], [712, 790], [712, 714], [729, 790], [1575, 1695], [1635, 1732]] |
SARATOGA SPRINGS , New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two years ago , Dawn Warfield was drowning in debt . Dawn Warfield sold one of her two video stores to help reduce her debts . The average American household has $ 8,329 in credit card debt , according to the Nilson Report , a credit industry newsletter . Warfield had nearly 10 times that amount . At its worst point , her debt totalled nearly $ 80,000 . She had 17 credit cards and admits that living beyond her means was part of the problem . `` I 'll own up to that , '' she said . `` There is always unforeseen expenses , and when you are making the minimum payments on these credit cards , when you think you ca n't afford to make more than that , they do n't go down . '' But Warfield 's spending was not the only factor working against her . Watch Warfield describe how the debt piled up , and how she started paying it off '' She was in the middle of an expensive divorce and had been charging business expenses to her personal credit cards when she opened a second location of her video store . `` Every month I was writing out 17 checks , '' she said . `` And the interest rates ranged from like 6 percent to 33 percent . So it was impossible . `` I was transferring balances from one card to another , and every time I got a card to a decent interest rate , I felt like one of the cards would come off the promotional interest rate , and I was just never catching up . '' So Warfield took matters into her own hands . She sold the second location of her video store , stopped using her credit cards and decided it was time to get help . `` I sat down one day and I called each credit card one by one , and I asked each one to work with me ... to lower my interest rate . '' The credit card companies did not respond to her plea . Instead , she was directed to the debt management program of the nonprofit Consumer Credit Counseling Service , part of Money Management International . Counselor Eric Jackson helped Warfield analyze her bills and expenses and created a plan to help her get lower interest rates . Now she makes a single monthly payment . `` I do n't even have to think about it , which makes it a lot easier for me , because when you have a lot of debt , it 's not just financial , but it 's emotional , you know , even physical , '' Warfield said . `` You think about it all the time . '' Adds Jackson : `` She 's making her payments on time , they 're posting to her creditor accounts , she has very low interest rates -- that was one of the benefits -- and she 's definitely doing well . `` She is on track to get all her debts paid off in full within the five years . '' Today , Warfield is less than $ 40,000 in debt . `` I 'm about halfway , '' she said . `` It has n't been easy , but we 're getting there . '' Are you fighting the recession , using innovative techniques to stay ahead in this economy or overcoming financial adversity ? Share your story with us by sending an e-mail to [email protected] , and you could be profiled in an upcoming segment on CNN . | Two years ago , Dawn Warfield had $ 80,000 in debt on 17 credit cards . The video store owner was facing a divorce and expanding her business . She also admits that living beyond her means was part of the problem . Nonprofit counseling service is helping her get lower rates and pay off her debts . | [[63, 99], [346, 364], [367, 402], [403, 426], [882, 927], [882, 885], [920, 1051], [403, 406], [431, 492], [1799, 1925], [1942, 1964], [2016, 2069], [2462, 2550]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The solution to ending an abusive relationship seems simple : Walk out the door . But for an abused woman , leaving can be a confusing process , complex at every step , said a newly published article in an University of Illinois journal . Co-author and graduate student Lyndal Khaw told CNN that abused women actually go through a five-step process of leaving that involves denial , contemplation , preparation , action and maintenance . And the transition from one step to another is hardly seamless , Khaw said . `` Some women can skip stages , some repeat a cycle of going back and forth to other steps and others go through the motions -- going from one stage to another '' , she said . In their study , Khaw and co-author Jennifer Hardesty , an assistant professor of human and community development , applied their model to 25 abused women . The report was published recently in the Journal of Family Theory and Review . Khaw said that moving from step to step can put a strain on those who are being supportive to an abused woman because they can have a hard time understanding why she returns or refuses to leave . Hardesty said that physically leaving a relationship entails more than a woman 's decision to embrace change and prioritizing her own safety . The abuser can affect her decisions , as can children , who can motivate her to return to the relationship , Hardesty said . Even though a woman may return to the abuser at some point , practitioners and women themselves need to understand that every time the woman disengages she gains additional resources and support , Hardesty said . `` So next time she is contemplating and preparing she 'll be stronger and perhaps more likely to stay out of that relationship , '' she said . Khaw said service providers , family members and other sources of support need to recognize the stages of what can be a lengthy -- and risky -- process . `` When trying to leave , abusers may get more violent , '' Khaw said . Recognition of the five-step process can be helpful to abused women , Hardesty said . `` Not all women are ready to leave , but recognizing it 's a process can be empowering , '' she said . | Authors say leaving abuse can be a confusing process , complex at every step . Process includes denial , contemplation , preparation , action and maintenance . `` Not all women are ready to leave , '' says co-author Jennifer Hardesty . | [[125, 185], [457, 519], [946, 1011], [258, 378], [348, 378], [384, 438], [371, 378], [384, 456], [1394, 1409], [2063, 2078], [2079, 2114]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Valerie Jarrett does not like to talk about herself . I know this because we 've sat down on numerous occasions for interviews , going back to the early days of Barack Obama 's presidential campaign . But this one was perhaps the most challenging because the focus was on her . She is fiercely loyal to Obama , as one of his closest friends . But she also advises him as president , with the title of Senior Adviser and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison . The ultimate insider does not spill the beans . But doing a series on the power players inside the White House would not be complete without looking at Jarrett 's role . She has called her relationship with the president a `` mind meld . '' `` We 're good friends who have known each other for a long time , '' Jarrett says . `` Eighteen years , you get a pretty good sense of him . '' Her first sense of him came in 1991 when Obama was a young law professor in Chicago , Illinois . Jarrett was interviewing his fiancée , the future first lady , Michelle Robinson , for a job in Chicago Mayor Richard Daley 's office . The protective partner , Obama , was making sure Jarrett was on the up and up . Jarrett first explained the scene when I interviewed her in May 2008 . `` They sat next to each other and when she was speaking he would just look at her with this adoring look , `` Jarrett said with a laugh , `` but he was really tough on me in the nicest possible way . '' The three became fast friends . Now Obama says he runs every important decision by Jarrett , trusts her completely and considers her family . When I bring this to her attention she accepts her role humbly . `` Well , I hope he would trust me the way any close friend does . He knows I have his best interest at heart and that I understand , because I 'm part of the administration , the myriad of challenges he faces , '' Jarrett says . `` So I hope he views me a sounding board , someone who 's going to be honest , direct and candid with him at all times . '' She laughs when I suggest perhaps she is his consigliere . `` You can tell I 'm uncomfortable with this , '' she says when I try to get her to focus more on her role . She does not like to be singled out from the rest of the White House team . Instead she paints a picture of what it would be like if I were in an Oval Office meeting with the president . `` When everyone 's done talking , if there 've been a couple of people who 've been quiet , he 'll say , ` Well , Suzanne , what do you think of this issue ? ' '' Jarrett says . She describes his style in running the meetings as `` accommodating . '' `` He reads people very well . He 's extraordinarily perceptive . He can tell from the body language if someone is uncomfortable with something , '' Jarrett says . But she can also read the president 's body language when he 's heard enough talk . `` He 's not moody , but you can tell when he 's ready for a conversation to end , '' Jarrett says . `` He enjoys making sure there is robust debate , but when he 's finished with debate he 's finished . He 's ready to move on . So I can detect when enough is enough , let 's bring in the next issue . '' Jarrett says newcomers to the administration have pulled her aside to get her take on how things were going . `` Particularly early on , people who did n't know the president as well as I did would come to me after a meeting and say ` What did he really mean ? I know he said this , but what is he really thinking ? ' and I took such delight in being able to say he meant exactly what he said . That 's who he is . '' It 's the intangibles that Jarrett sometimes brings to the table . `` People are always looking for the hidden intent , the body language , and he is about as straight a shooter as you 're going to ever come across . So I think part of what I do is go around and give people some comfort to really trust what he said . He meant exactly what he said . You can take him at face value . '' Jarrett says the president does not make deals after his meetings are done . People do n't trail him through the back door trying to change his mind . `` That 's just not the way he operates , '' Jarrett says . `` He likes to hear from everybody at the same time . Then he makes a decision . '' Jarrett 's job includes acting as a liaison to the business community and conducting outreach to African-American groups . But it 's her role as confidante to the president that makes her the ultimate insider . Jarrett sits in on Obama 's daily briefings in the morning that deal with national security and the economy . She also attends policy meetings regarding the president 's agenda on health care , energy and education . She facilitates and hosts small groups of CEOs to have lunch with Obama . And she heads the Office of Public Engagement as the president 's contact with outside groups . Jarrett says she also spends `` a good deal of time '' with Michelle Obama both personally and professionally . Part of her portfolio is working closely with the first lady 's team , `` making sure there 's seamless interaction between the East and West Wings . '' Jarrett occupies the office previously used by Karl Rove and former first lady Hillary Clinton . She is often the only woman in the room in briefings with the president . But she dismisses talk of tension with `` the boys , '' as some of the male power players are referred to in the White House . `` We really do pull together as a team , '' Jarrett says . While Jarrett 's ability to freelance as the president 's senior adviser has rankled some , Jarrett says being inside the circle of power is a `` warm '' and `` inclusive '' environment . As for Obama 's all-male pickup basketball games , Jarrett says that 's not where the real power resides . `` I think what 's really important is who does the president surround himself with and give substantial responsibilities to . '' Jarrett 's got plenty of responsibility . Her challenge is separating her friendship with the president from her job . Often she takes her cues from where she stands . `` If we 're in the Oval Office , I call him `` Mr. President . '' It 's very formal . I think it 's appropriate . It 's not just deferential to him but to the office , '' Jarrett says . `` I really try to compartmentalize our friendship and what my role is outside the office , and my role as senior adviser . '' When I ask her if that 's a difficult thing to do , requiring her to flip a switch , she says `` no . '' She says when she 's in the Oval Office , they 're all about business , outside , `` everything but business . '' `` The one thing I do n't do is try to mix the two . I do n't try to be his friend when we 're having a business conversation and I try not to burden him with office issues when trying to have downtime , '' Jarrett says . When they 're hanging out as friends , it 's often indulging in their favorite pastime . `` We like to eat , '' Jarrett says with a hearty laugh . `` He 's a healthy eater . I 'm not . We have a lot of wonderful conversations around the dinner table -- something we 've always enjoyed . '' But now that dinner table is in the White House . The movies they enjoy watching , they now take in at the White House movie theater . But despite that , Jarrett insists her longtime friend is the same . She says what she finds `` so appealing '' is he 's still `` grounded . '' `` He has a very good sense of self , he 's steady . His temperament is very predictable , '' she says . A year after Obama captured the White House , Jarrett is still in awe . `` Not a day goes by I do n't pinch myself and treasure this experience and opportunity to serve this president who also happens to be my friend . '' | Jarrett has known Barack and Michelle Obama for 18 years . She 's now a senior adviser in the Obama White House . Obama says he runs every important decision by Jarrett . She says she tries to keep business role , friendship separate . | [[1534, 1643], [1549, 1592], [6328, 6392]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The two people who died and the 19 others who fell ill at a central Arizona resort after spending time in a sauna-like `` sweatbox '' were attending a program by self-help expert James Arthur Ray , authorities said Saturday . Two people died and were 19 injured after spending up to two hours inside this `` sweatbox '' at an Arizona resort . The dead were identified as James Shore of Milwaukee , Wisconsin , and Kirby Brown of Westtown , New York , Sheriff Lloyd Waugh told reporters . They were among the 50 or so visitors at the Angel Valley Resort near Sedona attending Ray 's `` Spiritual Warrior '' program . Nineteen others were treated for injuries sustained in the sweatbox , a dome-like structure covered with tarps and blankets . Hot rocks and water are used to create steam in the enclosed environment . Waugh said investigators are looking into evidence that `` may turn this into a criminal prosecution . '' Investigators are looking into similar events held previously in other locations by Ray , who refused to speak with officers at the scene , Waugh said . A follow-up interview is expected to happen . Ray 's publicist , Howard Bragman , did not immediately return calls from CNN on Saturday . Ray posted a noted late Friday on his Twitter page , saying : `` I 'm shocked & saddened by the tragedy occurring in Sedona . My deep heartfelt condolences to family & friends of those who lost their lives . '' On Saturday he posted another message , saying he 's `` spending the weekend in prayer and meditation for all involved in this difficult time ; and I ask you to join me in doing the same . '' The self-help guru is widely known for his programs that claim to teach individuals to create wealth through all aspects of their lives -- financially , mentally , physically and spiritually . Ray , whose company is based in Carlsbad , California , has appeared on a variety of national programs , including CNN 's `` Larry King Live . '' In that appearance , Ray was about to address 3,000 people in Phoenix , Arizona . Asked what he thinks about critics of his teachings , Ray told King : . `` Well , you know , it 's interesting , Larry , because any time a new idea comes to the fore , it goes through three phases . It 's first ridiculed . Then it 's violently opposed . And then it 's finally accepted as self-evident , normally after the opposition dies . '' Angel Valley Resort advertises itself as `` a place to relax and heal ... where powerful earth energies are present and active . '' It was founded in April 2002 by Michael and Amayra Hamilton , both of whom are teachers and counselors there . The resort is on 70 secluded valley acres 20 minutes from Sedona , surrounded by thousands of acres of national forest , according to the Web site . It has Internal Revenue Service nonprofit status as a religious organization , its Web site says . `` There are twenty marked vortexes and angel sites to experience connection with Earth and spirit , deep relaxation , and balancing , '' an online brochure says . `` Angel Valley offers two labyrinths and an Angel Wheel for going inward , finding answers and getting insights . '' No information about the sweat lodge could be found on the Web site Saturday morning , and numerous internal links were not functioning . The use of sweat lodges for spiritual and physical cleansing is a part of several Native American tribes ' cultures . A traditional Native American sweat lodge is a small dome-like structure made up of willow branches carefully tied together and covered in canvas . Rocks are heated in a nearby fire pit and placed inside the lodge , and water is poured over them to create steam . `` We are curious to find out what happened there , '' Richard Moreno , a member of Pira Manso Pueblo tribe , told KPHO-TV . `` I 've been participating in the sweat lodge since the age of 3 and I 've never recalled being sick from being in the sweat lodge . '' Moreno told the station he has never been to a lodge that held more than 20 people . | NEW : Illnesses occur during event led by author James Arthur Ray , reports say . NEW : Evidence `` may turn this into a criminal prosecution , '' sheriff says . About 50 people had spent up to two hours inside the `` sweatbox , '' officials said . Resort is nonprofit religious organization , Web site says . | [[836, 938], [847, 938], [507, 583], [2645, 2655], [2766, 2793], [2794, 2870], [2873, 2892]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Sudanese journalist could receive 40 lashings after she was caught wearing trousers . Lubna al-Hussein was arrested with 18 other women this month for wearing indecent clothes . A Sudanese court began hearing Lubna al-Hussein 's case Wednesday . It will continue the hearing August 4 . At the time of her arrest , she was wearing pants , a blouse and a hijab , she said . Police accused her of wearing trousers that were too tight and alleged that her blouse was too transparent , al-Hussein said . Al-Hussein , who works for a newspaper and the media department of the United Nations mission in Sudan , said she did nothing wrong . She has been released to her home in Khartoum . The crime of wearing indecent attire has only one punishment under Sudanese law , a 40-stroke public flogging , according to the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information . `` This case is the official retaliation against the reporter for her writings criticizing the Sudanese regime and extremists , '' the organization said in a statement . Al-Hussein was arrested along with 18 others July 3 after Sudan 's `` discipline police '' accused the women of wearing indecent clothes , al-Hussein said . Six were released , and 10 received the 40 lashes , she said . Al-Hussein and two others fought the charges and hired attorneys , she said . U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke out against the decision Wednesday , saying he was `` deeply concerned '' and would take every effort to protect his staff member . `` The flogging is against the international human rights standards , '' he said . `` I call on all parties to live up to their obligations under all relevant international instruments . '' CNN 's Umaro Djau , Talia Kayali and Tracy Doueiry contributed to this report . | Lubna al-Hussein 's case is scheduled to continue August 4 . Al-Hussein , 18 others were rounded up this month for wearing indecent clothes . Ten arrestees have received 40 lashes , al-Hussein says . Al-Hussein was told her pants were too tight , her blouse too transparent . | [[267, 306], [107, 198], [142, 150], [168, 198], [1047, 1127], [1186, 1203], [1228, 1253], [408, 499], [393, 399], [456, 519]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Briton accused of hacking into U.S. government computers on Friday lost his court appeal to have his case heard in Britain , his legal team said . Briton Gary McKinnon is accused of carrying out the biggest ever U.S. military hacking operation . The decision means Gary McKinnon faces extradition to the United States , where he is wanted for allegedly hacking into computers at the Pentagon and NASA . His mother , Janis Sharp , promised to appeal . McKinnon , who has admitted breaking the law and intentionally gaining unauthorized access to computer systems , wanted to be tried in Britain rather than the United States . He planned to ask judges at the High Court in London to review a recent decision by the director of public prosecutions not to pursue legal action in Britain , a spokeswoman at the prosecutor 's office told CNN July . The prosecutor 's decision effectively cleared the way for McKinnon 's extradition . The U.S. government says McKinnon carried out the biggest military computer hacking of all time , accessing 97 computers from his home in London for a year starting in March 2001 and costing the government about $ 1 million . McKinnon , currently free on bail in England , has said he was simply doing research to find out whether the U.S. government was covering up the existence of UFOs . Prosecutors in the United States and Britain disagree . `` These were not random experiments in computer hacking , but a deliberate effort to breach U.S. defense systems at a critical time which caused well-documented damage , '' Alison Saunders of the Crown Prosecution Service said in February . `` They may have been conducted from Mr. McKinnon 's home computer -- and in that sense there is a UK link -- but the target and the damage were trans-Atlantic . '' U.S. federal prosecutors accuse McKinnon of breaking into military , NASA and civilian networks and accessing computers at the Pentagon ; Fort Benning , Georgia ; Fort Meade , Maryland ; the Earle Naval Weapons Station in Colts Neck , New Jersey ; and the Johnson Space Center in Houston , Texas , among others . In one case , McKinnon allegedly crashed computers belonging to the Military District of Washington . McKinnon is believed to have acted alone , with no known connection to any terrorist organization , said Paul McNulty , the former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia . A U.S. federal grand jury indicted McKinnon on seven counts of computer fraud and related activity . If convicted , he would face a maximum of 10 years in prison on each count and a $ 250,000 fine . McKinnon 's lawyer , Karen Todner , complained that the United States has never provided evidence to prosecutors or McKinnon 's legal team to support their extradition request -- and in fact , under Britain 's Extradition Act of 2003 , U.S. prosecutors are not required to . McKinnon has previously said it was easy for him to access the secret files . `` I did occasionally leave messages in system administrators ' machines saying , ` This is ridiculous , ' '' McKinnon has said . '' -LRB- I left -RRB- some political diatribes as well , but also a pointer to say , you know , this is ridiculous . '' McKinnon was on the brink of extradition in August 2008 , when the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg , France , refused to reconsider the decision to send him to the United States , effectively clearing the way for his transfer . Shortly after that decision , however , McKinnon was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome , and he claims that diagnosis changed the case for extradition . It was on that basis that McKinnon made his appeals in Britain . Asperger syndrome is a form of autism that affects a person 's social communication and interaction , according to Britain 's National Autistic Society . Those affected often are of above-average intelligence and have fewer problems speaking than do those with autism . They sometimes have difficulty knowing when to start or end a conversation and can be very literal in what they say , with difficulty understanding jokes , metaphors and sarcasm . | Gary McKinnon admits intentionally gaining access to government systems . Briton accused of carrying out biggest ever U.S. military computer hacking . He says he was researching whether U.S. was covering up existence of UFOs . | [[491, 501], [506, 601], [36, 96], [187, 285], [187, 207], [219, 285], [340, 350], [360, 442], [969, 1064], [1195, 1203], [1242, 1359]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The global economic crisis has caused a spike in world hunger that has left more than a billion undernourished , United Nations agencies said in a new report . The report says the stabilization of financial markets has meant less investment in agriculture , food distribution . `` It is unacceptable in the 21st century that almost one in six of the world 's population is now going hungry , '' said Josette Sheeran , executive director of the World Food Programme . `` At a time when there are more hungry people in the world than ever before , there is less food aid than we have seen in living memory . '' The report by the WFP and the Food and Agriculture Organization was released Wednesday , ahead of World Food Day on Friday . Nearly all the world 's undernourished live in developing countries , according to the report . An estimated 642 million people are suffering from chronic hunger in Asia and the Pacific . An additional 265 million live in sub-Saharan Africa while 95 million come from Latin America , the Caribbean , the Near East and North Africa . The final 15 million live in developed nations . Should developed economies be doing more to eradicate hunger , poverty ? The number of hungry spiked as the global economic crisis took hold and governments pumped resources into stabilizing financial markets . The move meant smaller investments in agriculture and food distribution . `` World leaders have reacted forcefully to the financial and economic crisis , and succeeded in mobilizing billions of dollars in a short time period . The same strong action is needed now to combat hunger and poverty , '' said Jacques Diouf , director-general of the FAO . `` The rising number of hungry people is intolerable . '' The report calls for greater investment in agriculture to tackle long and short-term hunger by making farmers productive and more resilient to crises . `` We know what is needed to meet urgent hunger needs -- we just need the resources and the international commitment to do the job , '' Sheeran said . | World Food Programme : One in six of world 's population is now going hungry . Nearly all the world 's undernourished live in developing countries . Number of hungry spiked as the global economic crisis took hold , report says . Calls for greater investment in agriculture to tackle long and short-term hunger . | [[344, 395], [402, 408], [344, 388], [392, 408], [504, 545], [344, 388], [392, 408], [753, 820], [849, 940], [0, 15], [19, 80], [344, 395], [402, 408], [344, 388], [392, 408], [504, 545], [1208, 1265], [1239, 1279], [1698, 1732], [1753, 1844], [1753, 1807], [1827, 1904]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. schoolchildren still have work to do when it comes to mathematics , the secretary of education said Wednesday . Education Secretary Arne Duncan says U.S. schools need to be better equipped to teach math . Arne Duncan , releasing a report on the Department of Education 's latest examination of how well American children are doing in mathematics , said no one should be satisfied with what it found . `` Today 's results are evidence that we must better equip our schools to improve the knowledge and skills of America 's students in mathematics , '' he said . `` More must be done to narrow the troubling achievement gap that has persisted in mathematics , and to ensure that America 's students make greater gains toward becoming competitive with their peers in other countries . '' Fourth - and eighth-grade students from more than 7,000 public and private schools nationwide were tested by the National Assessment of Educational Progress for the report , titled `` The Nation 's Report Card : Mathematics 2009 . '' Massachusetts students had the highest marks at both grade levels . Other high-performing states were Minnesota , Vermont , New Hampshire and New Jersey . The area with the lowest marks in both grades was the District of Columbia , though the report showed that the district -- along with Nevada , New Hampshire , Rhode Island and Vermont -- had improved its scores since the last tests were taken in 2007 . The average scores were categorized at each grade level into four groups : below basic , basic , proficient , and advanced . According to the Department of Education , some of the skills required to achieve a basic level of understanding of mathematics at the fourth-grade level include performing simple computations with whole numbers ; showing understanding of fractions and decimals ; and solving simple real-world problems . To achieve a basic level of understanding at the eighth-grade level , students must be able work with whole numbers , decimals , fractions and percentages ; be able to solve word problems and use diagrams , charts and graphs ; and be able to solve simple algebra and geometry problems . Scores were slightly higher in the 2009 report than they were in 2007 , but Duncan said more needs to be done . `` Our students need to graduate high school ready to succeed in college and the workplace , '' he said . The National Assessment of Educational Progress results `` are a call to action to reform the teaching and learning of mathematics and other related subjects in order to prepare our students to compete in the global economy . '' | Department of Education takes look at how American kids are doing in mathematics . Fourth - and eighth-grade students from more than 7,000 U.S. schools assessed . Massachusetts , Minnesota , Vermont , New Hampshire , New Jersey ranked high . District of Columbia had lowest marks in both grades , but its scores are up since ' 07 . | [[240, 251], [254, 380], [820, 991], [820, 913], [994, 1029], [1122, 1208], [1209, 1283], [1293, 1461]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- While investigators trudge through pig farms and remote villages in Mexico , searching for clues about the new swine flu , answers about the virus ' origin may finally appear on a computer , based on genetic codes . A researcher investigates swine flu at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta , Georgia . At the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Columbia University , researchers are using public databases to trace the origins of the 2009 H1N1 virus . They 've found that the closest relatives to the new virus are viruses that were isolated from pigs in the United States in the past few years . Their analysis , recently published in Eurosurveillance , suggests that the virus has at least two swine ancestors , one of them related to a virus isolated in North America in 1998 . Still , the relatives are distant , and it 's premature to conclude that the virus came from the United States based on this analysis , said Raul Rabadan , study co-author and assistant professor at Columbia . Influenza is like a small jigsaw puzzle with eight pieces , each with its own function , Rabadan said . The puzzle changes all the time , which is why exposure does not lead to total immunity and vaccines need to be updated yearly . When two viruses infect the same cell , they can create yet other viruses with pieces of each of the original strains . This process is called reassortment . The 2009 H1N1 virus is a reassortment of swine , human and avian genes . Rabadan and colleagues are finding the closest ancestors for each of the parts of the virus and then trying to understand how these parts may have combined in the past , a complicated question . It is impossible to know from the available data where geographically the 2009 H1N1 virus came from , but with more samples , researchers may be able to decipher more clues , he said . Just from looking at the genetic code , it is unknown what species is the virus ' host , how easily it is transmitted and how deadly it is . `` We have a set of letters that you can try to map , and then you can try to see how this map is working , how would you know if a particular combination is giving you something ? That 's something that has to be solved . '' Although a 5-year-old boy in the small village of La Gloria , Mexico , is said to be `` patient zero , '' with the earliest confirmed case of 2009 H1N1 , no one knows exactly how he contracted the virus . Read more about the boy . Some say that tracking the origin of the virus is n't as important as finding ecological weak points and bolstering surveillance . `` We may not be able to say precisely say , ` This pig farm spawned this virus ' and all that , but I think it 's very important to face the facts about what kinds of ecological settings are spawning danger , '' said Laurie Garrett , senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations . For influenza , the new ecological stress points mostly relate to industrial-scale livestock and , in the case of avian flu , backyard chicken farming , she said . In both of those cases , there are `` economic lives at stake '' in making decisions such as killing certain animals , she said . `` We have to figure out a way we can surveil those populations , surveil that ecology , without the industries at stake -- or , in the case of chickens , the small family farmer in Indonesia -- feeling that their livelihood is challenged just by the very fact that anybody 's even trying to do surveillance , '' Garrett said . But the genetic lineage of the virus does offer useful clues , she said . Cooperation among the United States , Canada and Mexico in every step of the investigation has been profound , she said . By contrast , Indonesia has refused to share bird flu samples with the World Health Organization in the past . Some researchers say it 's not surprising that a new virus such as 2009 H1N1 would seem to have its focal point in Mexico . A 2008 Nature study co-written by Peter Daszak , president of Wildlife Trust , an international organization of scientists , used computer modeling to find that hot spots for emerging infectious diseases include China , Southeast Asia , Mexico , parts of Brazil , Europe and the United States . The study showed that socioeconomic , environmental and ecological factors correlate with emerging infectious diseases and help identify `` hot spots '' for where they crop up . Now , researchers are looking at travel and trade patterns from Mexico to shed light on how the virus has spread . There 's a large trade of pigs from the United States and Canada , as well as pig trades from other countries , each year into Mexico , he said . `` There 's a lot of mixing , and a lot of potential for viruses , '' Daszak said . `` It 's equally likely that it emerged in Mexico as it is in Canada and the U.S. '' The main driving factors for an emerging infectious disease are the demographics of people , livestock production and changing food production strategies , Daszak said . Although scientists know of several thousand viruses , more than a million viruses could be out there , assuming every vertebrate species on the planet has 20 viruses that no other vertebrate has , and there are 50,000 vertebrates , he said . The lesson from the swine flu outbreak is that `` we missed the boat , '' he said . While resources were thrown at avian flu in Southeast Asia , the newest virus has emerged at the United States ' doorstep , he said . `` We should have been out there looking for these things happening , '' he said . `` We should have been working better with those pig farms or with in any industry in a hot zone . '' Anyone who is building pig farms or poultry farms in a hot zone of emerging infectious diseases should increase security , look out for new diseases in livestock or people , and investigate any novel diseases rigorously , he said . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that each gene segment of 2009 H1N1 had its closest ancestor in swine influenza virus , and officials hypothesized that the reassortment of these genes occurred in pigs , said Nancy Cox , director of the CDC 's Influenza Division . `` It does n't necessarily mean that that 's where it occurred , but that was our working hypothesis based on the genetic relationship of each of the gene segments , '' she said . Regardless of the outcome of 2009 H1N1 , more infectious diseases will crop up over time , and there 's no end in sight , Daszak said . `` When you 're in a genetic arms race like this , we 're always going to be fighting this battle , '' he said . | One of swine flu 's relatives was isolated in North America in 1998 . Expert : Industrial-scale livestock production is an ecological stress point . Researcher : Better surveillance needed in hot zones of emerging diseases . | [[783, 826], [2915, 2928], [2931, 3007]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Investigators are looking into whether employees at the Los Angeles County coroner 's office illegally leaked information about Michael Jackson 's death probe to the news media , according to a sheriff 's spokesman . Police stand outside the Los Angeles County Coroner 's Office when Michael Jackson 's body was there in June . Vivid descriptions of Jackson 's corpse , which was in the coroner 's custody for an autopsy , were published by tabloid newspapers in the days after his death . The Los Angeles County Supervisors office on Friday asked the sheriff to conduct a `` preliminary inquiry , '' which will determine whether there is enough evidence to launch a full investigation , said Steve Whitmore , a sheriff 's spokesman . Whitmore did not provide details on what prompted the request . The Los Angeles Times quoted Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas as saying his office called the sheriff 's department after reports that coroner 's employees not involved in the Jackson death probe had viewed his death certificate in the office database . Ridley-Thomas has not responded to CNN requests for comment . The coroner 's office is investigating the cause of Jackson 's June 25 death . It has been waiting on toxicology lab results , but a final autopsy report is expected as soon as next week , a coroner 's spokesman has said . Los Angeles police are also investigating the death . Detectives traveled to Houston , Texas , this week to search the medical office of Dr. Conrad Murray , Jackson 's personal doctor . CNN 's Sonya Hamasaki contributed to this report . | Vivid descriptions of Jackson 's corpse are published by tabloid newspapers . L.A. officials ask sheriff to conduct preliminary inquiry . A sheriff 's spokesman did not say what prompted the request . The coroner 's office is investigating the cause of Jackson 's June 25 death . | [[372, 411], [457, 533], [534, 639], [223, 260], [779, 842], [1175, 1253]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Wu-Tang Clan -- the New York hip-hop supergroup that spawned millions of album sales , nine solo acts and a few acting careers -- almost never was . If RZA , left , had been jailed or Method Man killed , Wu-Tang may have never formed , RZA says . Method Man , the group 's most recognizable voice , was nearly killed before the band formed , Wu-Tang 's chief producer , RZA , writes in his forthcoming memoir . Meth was walking to buy marijuana at 160 Park Hill Avenue in Staten Island -- the house in Wu-Tang 's `` Protect Ya Neck '' video -- when RZA saw him across the street , he writes in the book . `` Come over here , yo ! '' RZA beckoned , according to `` The Tao of Wu '' -LRB- Riverhead -RRB- . `` He stopped and came running over . A few seconds later -- pow-pow-pow-pow-pow ! -- a guy started shooting up the front of 160 . A buddy of ours , Poppy , an innocent , school-going , nice guy -- he was shot and killed right there . '' Interactive : Where 's the Wu been ? '' It was n't the only close call RZA said could have snuffed the band that rewrote the rule book for hip-hop acts . The year before the group formed in 1993 , RZA was acquitted on an attempted murder charge that could have put him behind bars for eight years , he writes in `` The Tao of Wu , '' out Thursday . Expanding on the book 's anecdotes in an interview with CNN , RZA explained that if he had been imprisoned or if Method Man , aka Clifford Smith , had been killed , the band never would have come to fruition . RZA , whose real name is Robert Diggs and whose stage name is pronounced `` Rizza , '' also talked about his role in the death of his cousin , Russell Jones , better known as Ol' Dirty Bastard or ODB . Two days before his 36th birthday in 2004 , ODB died in a New York recording studio from an overdose of cocaine and painkillers . RZA writes in the book that he once witnessed ODB force his own son to watch him do drugs . RZA tried to leave , he writes , but ODB would n't let him . Now , RZA told CNN , he wishes he would 've been tougher with ODB about his drug problem . Following are excerpts from the interview , which has been edited for language , flow and length : . CNN : Could your imprisonment or Method Man 's death have derailed Wu-Tang 's formation ? RZA : Either one of those incidents could definitely have derailed it . Of course , myself being the abbot , the one who came with the idea , if I would n't have made it out of that tumultuous time -- it seemed like I was n't going to make it out of it ; there was a lot of odds against me -- but we stood strong , and self-defense made sense to the jury . We beat that ... It was the victory over that incident that made me change my whole direction . In a way , it 's double-edged in that incident . One , if I would 've lost that , yeah , Wu-Tang would n't have happened , but also it 's the victory of it that inspired me and gave me the drive also to go and really get serious about Wu-Tang and the things I was dealing with . Same thing with Meth , he always brings it up ... that that day saved his life . He actually said , if it was anybody else calling him , he would n't have came . CNN : In the book , you cite lessons from Eastern religions , Christianity , Islam , -LSB- Nation of Islam offshoot -RSB- Five Percent , numerology , comic books , kung fu , chess . What would you say to someone who says it 's difficult to reconcile these dogmas ? RZA : Like it says in the Bible , `` In the beginning was the word , and the word became flesh '' -- if we go to the root of the word , we will find that , yeah , everything is similar . Everything is teaching us all the same path . It 's just that one religion was good for these people because of their living conditions . In the Quran , they mention paradise being filled with wells , wells of water , and if you 're in the desert and you 've got a chance to get water and gardens -- as they describe paradise in the holy Quran -- if you 're going to get gardens , that 's the paradise that fits your situation . ... Everything they 're saying relates to the people they 're talking to . ... You remove the messenger and take the message . CNN : You say in the book that your penchant for violent lyrics in your younger years `` was a product of my history and environment '' and that it no longer represents you . But you also say you wo n't repudiate violence . Why not ? RZA : One reason I have n't repudiated it is because when it 's necessary , it 's necessary . -LSB- The Bible 's -RSB- Ecclesiastes tell us there 's a time for everything -- a time for war , a time for peace -- so in times for war , there 's time for violence . Then in -LSB- the Hindu scripture -RSB- Bhagavad Gita , it says Arjuna was talking , Arjuna did n't want to commit violent acts against an army that was attacking him . He could n't find it in his heart to do it . It was people he loved . He did n't want to get into violence , but Krishna had to point out to him , `` Your duty is your duty . '' ... So , to me , violence in the light of justice is still violent , but I do n't see it the same . It 's because of justice that I do n't repudiate violence because justice must be served somehow . CNN : ODB was a product of his environment as well . To what degree were you and other Wu-Tang members responsible for his death ? RZA : The guys would say it 's more me than them because they say that 's my cousin and I was right there . If you let a man that you love or anybody -- man , woman or child that you love -- sit there and destroy themselves in front of you , you 're neglecting them ... Everybody let him do what he wanted to do . ... There were times when I took his drugs and threw them down the toilet . When I do that , he would get so pissed off I do n't see him for weeks after that . ... So it got to a point , I was like , '' -LSB- expletive -RSB- it , let him do his drugs '' just to have him around me , just to keep him there . ... But it 's still neglect , yo . CNN : You say you ran Wu-Tang like a dictatorship in its first five years . I know you and Raekwon have had creative differences and Ghostface Killah is suing you over royalties . Ever regret the dictatorship approach ? RZA : I do n't regret it because it got us to the power we are . ... To me , in the beginning , the dictatorship led us to such a strong foundation that even though Wu-Tang seemed to be crumbling , it did n't fall because of the root foundation of one man 's idea . But now as it 's coming back together -- we 're living in the twilight age of it right now -- it 's still surviving because of the democracy of it . CNN : Wu-Tang is still around , but nothing like the heyday of the 1990s . Will we ever see a renaissance ? RZA : Well , to me , Wu-Tang is beyond Wu-Tang Clan . ... It 's just like hip-hop is beyond Grandmaster Flash , but Grandmaster Flash was one of the first guys to hit those turntables like that . ... The same thing with Wu-Tang . You 'll see the difference in hip-hop from the moment we came in to before we came in . We changed it . We changed the whole structure . CNN : Have you accomplished everything you 've set out to accomplish ? RZA : I 'm me and the me that 's me is me and is going to continue to be me , and it 's always reaching and growing . I 'm grateful for what I 've accomplished . I 'm grateful for anyone who thinks I accomplished something and says , `` Well he did this ; he did that . '' I 'm proud to be accepted , but I feel like I 've just scratched the surface for some weird reason . CNN 's Kyle Almond contributed to this report . | Wu-Tang producer : Attempted murder conviction also could have derailed band . Rapper/producer/actor RZA talks of forming Wu-Tang Clan in upcoming memoir . RZA : Ol' Dirty Bastard made son watch him do drugs before 2004 fatal overdose . Book cites lessons from Christianity , Islam , numerology , kung fu , chess . | [[1181, 1262], [1377, 1524], [2202, 2205], [2208, 2291], [2298, 2363], [365, 390], [399, 433], [1857, 1924], [1893, 1948], [3206, 3367]] |
SPRING HILL , Tennessee -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The town that Saturn put on the map is worried about its future and its residents hope the auto plant and jobs wo n't go the way of its most famous product . The move to shut down Saturn has left some in Spring Hill , Tennessee , disappointed and perplexed . General Motors announced this week that it would close its Saturn line after its sale to Penske Automotive Group fell through . At the end of `` Saturn Parkway '' in Spring Hill , Tennessee , sits the huge plant where -- as the ads touted -- `` a different kind of car company '' produced a `` different kind of car . '' The first Saturn , a red S-Series , rolled off the line in 1990 and it 's still on display at the factory . The factory , along with the town , have played a major role in the company 's image and advertisements , even hosting tours and `` reunions '' for Saturn car owners . At City Hall , the walls are decorated with old photos of the small town Spring Hill was before Saturn came to town and what it 's grown into . `` I think people are very proud an American-made car was made here , '' area resident Barbara Williams said . Mayor Mike Dinwiddie credits most of the town 's growth to the Saturn plant . `` GM , back in the mid 80 's , is the reason this town began to grow in the first place , '' he said . Eventually , GM decided to move production elsewhere . The last Saturn made in Tennessee rolled off the line in 2007 . After retooling , GM started building the Chevrolet Traverse in Spring Hill , but that production is now on its way out too . In November , it will be moved to a plant in Michigan , leaving Spring Hill 's plant idle . The move to shut down Saturn has left some in town disappointed and perplexed . `` It 's been a great car , '' remarked Keith Slep who runs an auto repair shop a few miles from the factory . Slep said he hoped Penske would have been able to keep the brand viable . `` He has a track record that wo n't quit of being a great business man and a good leader . I do n't know what happened , '' Slep said . Williams said she was also stunned about the end of Saturn . `` I 'm like everyone else , ` How can this happen ? ' GM has been a forerunner in the automobile industry , and it 's just a really sad indictment on what is happening , '' she said . `` We are kind of curious as to why the decisions have been made that have been made , '' Dinwiddie said . `` I do know that what GM is trying to do now as a company -- as far as how they are trying to operate and what they are saying the improvements they need to make -- almost mirror what Saturn was 20 years ago . '' Resident Joyce Avello puts the blame squarely on the federal government . `` It 's an abomination what the government is doing to the automotive industry ... Get it out of the government 's hands . They do n't know how to do cars . They can hardly do the government . '' As for the future of Spring Hill , Dinwiddie is optimistic . `` I have to believe the plant is going to come back . It all depends on the overall economy , '' he said . `` I hope that Americans start buying American products and start supporting the American auto manufacturing industry and if that happens , we 'll get a product in this plant . '' Dinwiddie said he has been working with General Motors on a daily basis , and has invited President Obama and the auto recovery czar to come and tour the plant . `` I do n't think they understand what this plant is capable of doing and once they see that , I think that they will be well aware of the situation , and I think they could probably give us some help , '' he said . At 94 , G.W. Bowman has lived in Spring Hill most of his life and remembers stories of his grandfather collecting the mail in the area during the Civil War . With Saturn gone and the local plant preparing to idle , Bowman said , `` Of course , it 's going to hurt , but it 's not going to kill Spring Hill . '' | Saturn 's demise leaves Spring Hill , Tennessee , residents dismayed . Town was where the first Saturn rolled off assembly line in 1990 . GM announced plans to shut down Saturn brand after Penske fails to reach deal . | [[201, 301], [1673, 1752], [623, 639], [659, 686], [302, 429], [342, 414]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dan Kruse started to feel weak one day while hanging out with his friends in a park . The next day , the eighth-grader woke up completely jaundiced -- the whites of his eyes were yellow -- and he urinated blood . Dan Kruse , now 23 , had food poisoning from E. coli bacteria as a teenager . Deeply concerned , his mother took him to the doctor , who told him to go to the hospital immediately . Doctors determined he had a severe form of food poisoning that made his kidneys shut down in a condition known as hemolytic uremic syndrome , caused by the bacteria E. coli . A priest gave him last rites , and doctors said he would most likely spend the rest of his life on kidney dialysis . `` I did n't go to the bathroom at all for seven to nine days because of my kidneys shutting down , '' said Kruse , now a Web developer in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . `` I definitely almost died . '' But with the help of an experimental treatment involving medicine `` like a fine grain sand '' that he ate six times a day , Kruse began to improve , and made a full recovery without dialysis . Food poisoning from strains of E. coli is less common in the United States than salmonella , a bacteria that has caused more than 1,000 infections in a recent outbreak since April , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Tomatoes have been implicated in this outbreak , but many other foods , such as raw meat and poultry , can spread salmonella and other kinds of bacteria . Food borne illnesses result in more than 300,000 hospitalizations in the United States every year , according to the CDC . About 76 million cases of food borne disease occur annually in the United States , the CDC said . Salmonella and E. coli present themselves in such similar ways that doctors ca n't tell which is which without testing a stool sample . Learn more about the differences between salmonella and E. coli '' Both kinds of bacteria can lead to infections involving diarrhea , vomiting , abdominal cramps and sometimes a low-grade fever . In most cases , an infected person will recover within a week without medicine simply by staying hydrated , doctors said . People who experience voluminous , bloody and persistent diarrhea should seek medical attention , and may need antibiotics , said Dr. Jennifer Christie , gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at Emory University . When should you go to the hospital ? When you 're not able to tolerate fluids , vomiting so much that you ca n't keep anything down , or have profuse watery diarrhea , said Dr. Iris Reyes , associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Pennsylvania . A racing heart along with diarrhea and vomiting indicates dehydration , she said . People with compounding medical problems such as cardiac conditions or diabetes should also seek medical attention , doctors said . In some cases , especially among small children , the elderly , and people with compromised immune systems , the infection may become more severe and lead to long-term complications . Salmonella can lead to a condition called Reiter 's syndrome that involves joint pain , eye irritation and painful urination . Chronic arthritis may result , regardless of whether a person takes antibiotics . A common strand of E. coli , often called E. coli 0157 , can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome , which makes bacterial toxins go into the bloodstream and destroy red blood cells . This can result in kidney failure as a result of damaged cells clogging tiny blood vessels , according to MayoClinic.com . That strain of E. coli is distinct from enterotoxigenic E. coli , which causes traveler 's diarrhea . People traveling to developing countries of Latin America , Africa , the Middle East , and Asia are at particular risk for traveler 's diarrhea , but it usually resolves in a few days and is rarely life-threatening . Symptoms of food borne bacterial infections are also similar to those of some viruses , though bloody diarrhea is sometimes a telltale sign of bacteria . To prevent these infections , medical professionals emphasize the importance of washing your hands after handling raw meat , poultry , and uncooked eggs . You should also wash your hands after using the bathroom , touching pets or coming into contact with a person who has a bacterial infection . Read more tips about food safety '' While it is always a good idea to wash produce , a rinse does n't always get rid of bacteria . In fact , you would have to scrub a vegetable for several minutes with antibacterial soap to kill the invisible offenders , Reyes said . `` In the operating room , surgeons scrub for at least several minutes to make sure there 's no bacteria on their skin , '' she said . Food is the same way -- it would take a long time to actually make sure that no bacteria remains . The best solution is to just stay away from any foods , like tomatoes , that have been reported to be contaminated . You may be tempted to eat that piece of salami of indeterminate age sitting in your refrigerator . But if you do take a bite and it just does n't taste right , Reyes has some advice for you : Stop eating . This may sound like a no-brainer , but Reyes said it 's not unusual for people to contract food borne illnesses this way . `` Make sure your food looks good and tastes good before you eat it , '' she said . Cooking at high temperatures also kills bacteria , but people do not typically cook tomatoes and other produce , Reyes said . Avoid anything containing raw eggs , such as Hollandaise sauce , Caesar salad dressing , and undercooked French toast , Christie said . Food that has been sitting out for hours at picnics or buffets may also be contaminated , Reyes said . Hot food should typically be eaten hot , and meat should never cool below 140 F before reheating . Below 140 F , bacteria thrive and multiply , regardless of the time that the food has been sitting out . Similarly , cold foods like shrimp cocktail will go bad if allowed to warm . `` You want to avoid a situation when your bacteria find your food just as appealing as you do , '' she said . Kruse said he avoids alfalfa sprouts , which have been associated with E. coli outbreaks , but still eats meat . `` I love meat , I 'm a meat eater . It was a fluke , '' he said . `` The doctors told me that the body will fight it off better '' since he had the infection as a teenager . | There are about 76 million cases of food borne illnesses in the U.S. each year . Symptoms include diarrhea , vomiting , abdominal cramps and a low-grade fever . Salmonella and E. coli infections present similar symptoms initially . Washing hands after handling raw food is key to prevention . | [[1624, 1704], [1960, 2053], [2177, 2272], [2177, 2242], [2273, 2299], [2445, 2485], [2488, 2496], [2545, 2573], [1722, 1784], [4090, 4214]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- More than two years after her death , Carol Anne Gotbaum 's children are expected to receive a $ 250,000 settlement from an insurance company on behalf of the city of Phoenix , Arizona , and its police department . Carol Gotbaum , shown in an undated family photo , died accidentally , a medical examiner said . The 45-year-old Gotbaum accidentally strangled herself while in police custody after behaving erratically in a terminal at Phoenix 's Sky Harbor airport when she missed her connecting flight , according to both family and police accounts . Gotbaum , the stepdaughter-in-law of New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum , was traveling alone and unescorted on her way to an alcohol rehabilitation center in Tucson , Arizona . Gotbaum 's family had originally sought $ 8 million but subsequently reduced that to $ 5.5 million . They accused the city and its police department of negligence in leaving Gotbaum chained and unattended in an airport police cell . Her three children , all still under age 10 , will be the beneficiaries of the settlement once it is approved by a New York surrogate court , whose duties are to deal with issues concerning the deceased . According to the Phoenix Police Department , its insurance carrier had spent $ 500,000 so far on the case and anticipated spending another $ 750,000 in litigation . It was a financial decision by the insurance carrier to settle in order to minimize further costs , the department said . Witnesses reported that Gotbaum may have been drinking on her flight and had been drinking heavily in an airport bar just before the altercation with police . She had missed her connection and was bumped from another one after airline personnel would not allow her to use a boarding pass given to her by another passenger . She grew incensed , threw her phone and started running down the concourse yelling , `` I am not a terrorist , '' according to witness accounts . Police said they had no information regarding her physical or psychological state when they responded to a call from gate agents . In a security video she is seen struggling with officers as they drag her down a concourse . An internal police investigation and one by the city found that the police did not violate any laws . But Gotbaum 's husband , Noah , filed suit claiming the officers were negligent in leaving her unattended in a disoriented state . | Carol Anne Gotbaum 's children are expected to receive a $ 250,000 settlement . Money comes from insurance company on behalf of police and city of Phoenix . Gotbaum accidentally strangled herself while in police custody . Woman was taken into custody after acting erratically at airport . | [[66, 242], [1000, 1018], [1041, 1043], [1046, 1089], [66, 242], [243, 256], [294, 311], [340, 492], [340, 492]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- English contains more words than any other language on the planet and added its millionth word early Wednesday , according to the Global Language Monitor , a Web site that uses a math formula to estimate how often words are created . The Global Language Monitor says the millionth word was added to English on Wednesday . The site estimates the millionth English word , `` Web 2.0 '' was added to the language Wednesday at 5:22 a.m. ET . The term refers to the second , more social generation of the Internet . The site says more than 14 words are added to English every day , at the current rate . The `` Million Word March , '' however , has made the man who runs this word-counting project somewhat of a pariah in the linguistic community . Some linguists say it 's impossible to count the number of words in a language because languages are always changing , and because defining what counts as a word is a fruitless endeavor . Paul J.J. Payack , president and chief word analyst for the Global Language Monitor , says , however , that the million-word estimation is n't as important as the idea behind his project , which is to show that English has become a complex , global language . `` It 's a people 's language , '' he said . Other languages , like French , Payack said , put big walls around their vocabularies . English brings others in . `` English has the tradition of swallowing new words whole , '' he said . `` Other languages translate . '' The Internet , global commerce and global travel have accelerated the trend by putting English in contact with many other linguistic groups . This has made English more rich and more complex -- hence all of the new terms , he said . Still , Payack says he does n't include all new words in his count . Words must make sense in at least 60 percent of the world to be official , he said . And they must make sense to different communities of people . A new technology term that 's only understood in Silicon Valley would n't count as a mainstream word , he said . His computer models check billions of Web sites -- including the Global Top 5,000 media sites -- dictionaries , scholarly publications and news articles to see how frequently words are used , he said . A word must make 25,000 appearances to be deemed legitimate . Learn about how other languages stack up '' Payack said news events have also fueled the rapid expansion of English , which he said has more words than any other language . Mandarin Chinese comes in second with about 450,000 words , he said . English terms like `` Obamamania , '' `` defriend , '' `` wardrobe malfunction , '' `` zombie banks , '' `` shovel ready '' and `` recessionista '' all have grown out of recent news cycles about the presidential election , economic crash , online networking or a sports event , he said . Other languages might not have developed new terms to deal with such phenomena , he said . Language experts who spoke with CNN said they disapprove of Payack 's count , but they agree that English generally has more words than most , if not all , languages . `` This is stuff that you just ca n't count , '' said Jesse Sheidlower , editor at large of the Oxford English Dictionary . `` No one can count it , and to pretend that you can is totally disingenuous . It simply ca n't be done . '' The Oxford English Dictionary has about 600,000 entries , Sheidlower said . But that by no means includes all words , he said . For example , Sheidlower said `` great-great-great-great grandfather '' could be considered a word , but would n't be in the dictionary . There 's a similar problem with numbers , which may be counted up by their pieces -- `` twenty '' and `` three '' -- but not always as a group , as in `` two-hundred twenty-three . '' Part of what makes determining the number of words in a language so difficult is that there are so many root words and their variants , said Sarah Thomason , president of the Linguistic Society of America and a linguistics professor at the University of Michigan . In the language of native Alaskans , she said , there are dozens of words for snow , but many of them are linked together and would n't be counted individually . Does that mean , she asked , that `` slush , '' `` powder '' and other snow words in English should be counted as one entry ? Thomason called the million-word count a `` sexy idea '' that is `` all hype and no substance . '' Linguists and lexicographers run into further complications when trying to count words that are spelled one way but can have several meanings , said Allan Metcalf , an English professor at MacMurray College in Illinois , and an officer at the American Dialect Society . `` The word bear , b-e-a-r -- is that two words or one , for example ? You have a noun that 's a wild creature and then you have b-e-a-r , -LSB- which means -RSB- to bear left or to bear right , and there 's many other things , '' he said . `` So you really ca n't be exact about a millionth word . '' Payack said he does n't consider his to be the definitive count , just an interesting estimation based on set criteria he has helped develop . `` It 's always an estimation , '' he said . `` It 's like the height of Mount Everest is an estimation . The height of Mount Everest has changed five times in my lifetime because as we get better tools , the estimates get better . '' He said the count is meant to be a celebration of English as a global language . And , while he says other languages are being stamped out by English 's expansion , it 's a powerful thing that so many people today are able to communicate with such a vast list of words . | Web site estimates English got its millionth word at 5:22 a.m. Wednesday . English accumulates new words from other languages and from its global reach . Linguists question group 's formula , which estimates rate of new words . English has more words than any other language , site says . | [[0, 9], [19, 26], [89, 129], [253, 340], [281, 340], [341, 386], [1479, 1620], [1545, 1548], [1555, 1620], [175, 185], [191, 252], [2927, 3002], [19, 84], [2413, 2420], [2437, 2477]] |
-LRB- InStyle.com -RRB- -- Is anyone else besides Michelle Obama leaving the house these days ? Because for the last week , you would have thought that Anne Hathaway , Gwyneth Paltrow and Halle Berry had gone into the Witness Protection Program . First lady Michelle Obama arrives with President Obama in London , England , for the G-20 Summit . During first lady Michelle Obama 's whirlwind visit to Europe this past week , her refreshing take on American style has emerged . It is elegant , smart , appropriate and shows the first lady to be comfortable in her own skin . Coverage surrounding the first lady 's wardrobe in Europe , from cardigans to kitten heels , has been relentless , riveting , fawning and , frankly , missing the objective of her strategically packed suitcase . No doubt about it , Michelle Obama scored big , looking terrific everywhere , delighting everyone -- probably no one more so than Mickey Drexler , CEO of J. Crew . But the post-game commentary sparked by each of her appearances has been hyperbolic when it has n't been comical . See photos of the first lady 's outfits '' You would have thought each of the first lady 's `` face offs , '' as both American and British tabloids labeled her meetings with Queen Elizabeth II , Britain 's first lady Sarah Brown , and France 's Carla Bruni-Sarkozy , had been deliberately set up as counter-programming to C-SPAN 's coverage of the budget negotiations in Congress . Watch Michelle Obama wow the world '' One wire service reporter asked me if Michelle , wearing a two-toned silk dress by Isabel Toledo , should have `` taken a bigger fashion risk '' when meeting the 83-year-old British monarch , who was all mumsy in blush pink . It was an afternoon tea , folks , not the Embassy Ball in `` My Fair Lady . '' Another wanted to know if I agreed that the first lady 's now-sold-out J. Crew outfit , an embellished cream cardigan and mint-green jacquard skirt , was `` a little too down-market '' to meet the prime minister of England 's wife , completely overlooking where the two women were headed after the photo op . Or would a bias-cut silk charmeuse dress have been a wiser choice for visiting a children 's cancer ward ? But the main event was going head-to-head with the former supermodel , pop-star first lady of France , Carla Bruni-Sarkozy . Except both women wound up wearing similar bow-tied coats -- Mrs. Obama 's floral print number by the American designer Thakoon , and her counterpart 's , a dove-gray look by the French house of Dior . Nevertheless , Tina Brown 's TheDailyBeast.com went so far as to immediately declare the up-until-recently overtly scrutinized Mrs. Bruni-Sarkozy `` over . '' The citizens of France might argue the point . More importantly , the press has been missing the over-arching point of our new first lady 's wardrobe . Despite the declaration by many of the fashion community 's talking heads that she is this generation 's Jacqueline Kennedy , Michelle Obama 's approach is quite different . True , Michelle 's reception has been equally rapturous . But , Mrs. Kennedy 's transatlantic mission nearly 50 years ago was to show the world that despite America 's image of a country fueled by energy and youth , it was also one of elegance , poise and culture . In addition , whether speaking in English or French , Mrs. Kennedy purposely presented herself and her husband as children of privilege , embracing the aura of Camelot , which had cast them as American royalty . Conversely , what 's most striking about each of Mrs. Obama 's appearances is not the grandiose message , diverse labels or designers ' origins . Rather , it is their unmistakable , uniform accessibility and appropriateness . Michelle Obama looks exactly like what she is : a modern American , working woman . Her outfits appear comfortable instead of buttoned up , her impression is pretty rather than formal , her silhouette based on sportswear -- the form of design that is at the heart of American fashion -- not politics . Add warmth , confidence , and openness and what the world is seeing -- besides someone who knows how to pack for a week -- is a woman they would want to know , to embrace as a neighbor or a friend . Though I 'm still having trouble getting past those kitten heels -LRB- note to Michelle : You 'd look so much better in a four-inch pump . Do n't worry , your husband can handle it -RRB- , what Michelle Obama has brilliantly accomplished in fairly record time is refashioning the image of Americans as relevant , approachable , relatable , and best of all , likable . When speaking to a group of school children in London , the first lady freely admitted , `` I like getting A 's . I like being smart . '' She sure is . Get a FREE TRIAL issue of InStyle - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2009 Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | During her visit to Europe , Michelle Obama shows her own American style . Mrs. Obama shows her style to be elegant , smart , and appropriate . An outfit from J. Crew that Obama wore has since sold out on the brand 's Web site . Michelle Obama looks exactly like what she is : a modern American working woman . | [[346, 422], [425, 476], [477, 512], [3233, 3282], [1789, 1936], [3721, 3804], [3760, 3766], [3769, 3804]] |
PITTSBURGH , Pennsylvania -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Leaders representing 90 percent of the world 's economic output were gathering Thursday in a U.S. city that has reinvented itself , hoping to bolster the global economy . Police boats pass under Greenpeace activists as they hang from a bridge near the G-20 summit . The Group of 20 will meet for two days to focus on the worldwide financial crisis , and plot how to avoid a repeat in the future . The White House is using the economic summit to showcase Pittsburgh -- a city that President Obama says has exhibited an innovative 21st-century recovery after a well-publicized downfall following the shuttering of much of the city 's steel industry . Pittsburgh `` has transformed itself from the city of steel to a center for high-tech innovation -- including green technology , education and training , and research and development , '' the president said . Watch what summit means for Pittsburgh '' Most of the world leaders have come from New York , where they attended the start of the U.N. General Assembly . The G-20 gathering is Obama 's first time hosting a major international summit . `` As the leaders of the world 's largest economies , we have a responsibility to work together on behalf of sustained growth , while putting in place the rules of the road that can prevent this kind of crisis from happening again , '' the president said in a statement ahead of the gathering . The tightening of global financial regulations is expected to top the summit 's agenda and comes as some major economies are beginning to recover . Germany , France and Japan have announced that they have emerged from recession , prompting hopes that the worst of the financial crisis may have passed . Watch city 's preparations for protesters '' G-20 finance ministers and central bank governors agreed at a meeting this month not to start cutting back just yet on stimulus efforts . They fear it would put economies at risk for plunging back into recession . However , the economic outlook has improved enough that countries are being encouraged to start working on exit strategies , which will vary by nation . The ministers also have proposed a change in how bankers ' bonuses are awarded . They said financial rewards should be based on long-term merit , instead of short-term risk-taking . Because of that , ministers oppose paying large bonuses upfront . A proposed bonus control mechanism would pay for results over a longer window for measuring profits . Bonuses would be forfeited if initial success does n't hold up . The economic summit will be the third time in a year that the world 's top industrial powers have gathered . They met in November in Washington and followed up with an April session in London . As the leaders headed to Pittsburgh , four people attached to a massive banner dangled from a Pittsburgh bridge Wednesday to protest the global economic meeting . iReport.com : Pittsburgh braces for protests . The banner hung from the West End Bridge over the Ohio River and read like a road sign : `` Danger : Climate Destruction Ahead . Reduce CO2 Emissions Now . '' Greenpeace , the environmental activist group , claimed responsibility for the stunt . On its Web site , the group said it wanted to send a message to G-20 leaders with the nearly 80-by-30-foot sign , calling for more attention to the issue of global climate change . | Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , plays host this week to G-20 summit . President Obama says city is example of how to weather recession . Pittsburgh has reinvented itself from steel plant roots to new focus on green jobs . | [[133, 147], [153, 174]] |
KATHMANDU , Nepal -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nepal 's government ordered the country 's army chief of staff fired Sunday , touching off street protests and a split in Nepal 's Maoist-dominated ruling coalition . General Rookmangud Katawal gestures after inspecting the guard of honour in New Delhi on December 12 , 2007 . But Gen. Rookmangud Katawal has refused to accept his dismissal , and Nepalese President Ram Baran Yadav -- the constitutional commander-in-chief of the country 's armed forces -- has told Katawal to remain in office , a presidential spokesman said . Nepal 's Cabinet voted to dismiss Katawal after the military refused the government 's order to stop recruiting about 3,000 new soldiers to fill vacant positions when it has yet to take in former Maoist rebels , as a 2006 peace deal required . The move prompted the Maoists ' largest coalition partner to quit the government , the party 's leader said . `` Without consensus , the ongoing peace process will not reach its logical conclusion and the drafting of the new constitution will not be possible , '' said Ishwor Pokharel , general secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal -LRB- Unified Marxist-Leninist -RRB- . `` The consensus that existed so far has come to standstill . '' Supporters of both sides in the dispute took to the streets for demonstrations Sunday . Despite sporadic clashes between the two factions , there were no serious injuries reported . The Maoists laid down their arms and won power in 2008 elections after an agreement that ended a decade-long insurgency . Under the deal , more than 19,000 former insurgents were to be integrated into the country 's security forces . But two weeks ago , the government asked Katawal to explain why he went to the Supreme Court to challenge the government 's refusal to extend the tenure of eight brigadier generals in March . Government spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara said Sunday that the government was not satisfied with Katawal 's explanation and fired him -- three months before his scheduled retirement -- in a meeting that the Maoists ' coalition partners boycotted . Pokharel said his party urged the Maoists not to fire Katawal without a consensus in the country 's parliament . He said the Maoists , led by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal , ignored that advice . `` We do not like the way the Maoists ' way of functioning , '' Pokharel said . The Maoists hold 238 of the 601 seats in parliament , while Pokharel 's party has 109 . The Maoists could continue to hold power with the support of smaller parties , but Pokharel said his party is working to form a new ruling coalition . The Cabinet named an interim army chief , but presidential spokesman Rajendra Dahal told CNN that 18 parties in Nepal 's parliament asked Yadav to keep Katawal on the job . There was no immediate reaction from the government on the president 's decision . | Nepal 's government orders army chief of staff fired after recruitment issue . Military refused to stop recruiting soldiers while it has n't accepted ex-Maoist rebels . Dismissal touches off street protests and a split in Maoist-dominated ruling coalition . Gen. Rookmangud Katawal has refused to accept his dismissal . | [[0, 9], [12, 33], [37, 99], [65, 112], [565, 657], [683, 797], [12, 33], [115, 203], [809, 889], [1250, 1337], [318, 377]] |
Honolulu , Hawaii -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. Navy hospital corpsman Francis Nicola received a unique Christmas gift Thursday : a phone call from his commander in chief . President Obama called Nicola , currently deployed in the Arabian Gulf , to extend a personal holiday greeting , according to a Navy spokesman . Nicola has served on the guided-missile frigate USS Rentz for one year . The Rentz is on an extended eight-month deployment , Public Affairs Officer Corey Barker noted in a statement . `` It was a great honor , '' Nicola said . `` The president passed his personal thanks to me and to the crew for our service over the holidays . '' Obama `` started the conversation off asking about my wife and my son Anthony , '' he added . `` He then went on to express his thoughts on being deployed away from them during the holiday period and hoped for my safe return to them in the coming months . '' The president 's decision to call Nicola was the result of a submission by Nicola 's commanding officer . `` Petty Officer Nicola 's performance has been nothing short of flawless , '' said Cmdr. Jeff Miller , the Rentz 's commanding officer . `` He quickly earned my trust -LSB- and -RSB- confidence . '' Nicola said he invited Obama `` for a day of burgers and basketball on the pier in San Diego , '' the Rentz 's home port . Obama said he `` would try to take us up on that offer , '' Nicola noted . Nicola , who previously served on the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz , is the senior medical representative for over 220 crew members on the Rentz , Barker said . His duties include routine patient care and trauma response . Presidents have traditionally called members of the military during the holiday season . Obama told reporters Thursday that he was planning to call `` a few '' service members this year `` and wish them merry Christmas and to thank them for their extraordinary service . '' | Obama calls Navy corpsman Francis Nicola at sea to wish him merry Christmas . Nicola is on board the USS Rentz in the Arabian Gulf . His commanding officer submitted his name as candidate for presidential call . Nicola says he invited Obama for burgers and basketball when the Rentz gets home . | [[167, 196], [167, 182], [199, 237], [240, 277], [1719, 1724], [1823, 1866], [312, 384], [904, 929], [945, 1009], [1210, 1302]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Elizabeth Taylor is having a `` procedure on her heart , '' she announced on her Twitter page Tuesday . Elizabeth Taylor has used Twitter to share personal information . `` It 's very new and involves repairing my leaky valve using a clip device , without open heart surgery , so that my heart will function better , '' the famed actress wrote . `` Any prayers you happen to have lying around I would dearly appreciate . I 'll let you know when it 's all over . Love you , Elizabeth . '' The 77-year-old Oscar winner did not go into further detail about her heart condition or the medical procedure . She was briefly hospitalized this summer for `` scheduled testing , '' she said at the time . She checked out `` sore , but intact , '' the actress said in an online message posted July 17 . Her publicist had denied tabloid rumors that her hospitalization was brought on by her grief over the sudden death of her close friend Michael Jackson in June . Twitter is a social networking site that allows users to publish what they are doing using 140 characters or less . Taylor posts regularly on her account , DameElizabeth , which has more than 155,000 followers . She opened the account this year at the suggestion of her close friend , author and actress Kathy Ireland , publicist Dick Guttman said . She posted emotional messages in July to counter rumors about how she was dealing with the news of Jackson 's death . `` Although my grief over Michael could not be any deeper , I am not on suicide watch as some of the cheaper ` rags ' would have you believe , '' Taylor wrote July 5 . Taylor -- who uses a wheelchair because of scoliosis , or abnormal curving of the spine -- gave fans several days advance notice of her last hospitalization . The London-born movie star has won two Academy Awards for best actress : first for `` Butterfield 8 '' in 1961 and then for `` Who 's Afraid of Virginia Woolf '' in 1967 . | Elizabeth Taylor takes to Twitter to announce surgical procedure . Actress did not go into detail about heart issue . She has used Twitter to talk about coping with Jackson 's death . | [[76, 78], [83, 122], [507, 619], [76, 78], [83, 122]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Known for lederhosen , weisswurst and its beer festival , Munich is a city that counters these brassy cliches with a mix of art , history and style . From onion domes to beer halls , the city of Munich also has more than its fair share to entrance culture vultures . Do n't be fooled by the chocolate box architecture in parts of the Altstadt -LRB- old town -RRB- : Munich is the biggest city in the state of Bavaria with an ego to match -- no other state in Germany boasts its own `` national museum . '' Yet the city manages to mix regional traditions with a slice of urban savvy and sophistication . Visitors can take their pick from the cultural attractions and blend a little low and high culture together for a flying visit . The Altstadt is walkable and the place to begin a day with its mix of baroque and gothic architecture . The green onion domes of the Frauenkirche remain visible over the low-rise city center . Mostly destroyed during the Second World War , the Frauenkirche was rebuilt from its rubble and is worth a quick look inside for the peculiar windowless nave -- so designed after the architect made a pact with the devil , apparently . Nearby is Marienplatz and the fine gothic architecture of the new town hall with its ever-so-twee glockenspiel and animated chiming clock . From the Karlsplatz U-Bahn station to Marienplatz you 'll find some `` any-town , anywhere '' shopping options , but push on towards Maximilianstrasse and you 'll discover where the Munich money goes to splash the cash , although gaudy ostentation is n't a very Muenchner trait . For more down-to-earth shopping a few steps from Marienplatz is the Viktualienmarkt and Schrannenhalle , the former offering food and drink from across Europe and the re-built Schrannenhalle housing a buzzy mix of shops and places to grab a bite to eat . Alternatively the city is dotted with snack bars where you can grab a würst and hope for the best . From the boutiques and brands to the beer cellers . The city becomes a beer-lover magnet every autumn , when international boozers stagger into the city for the annual Oktoberfest beer festival . Things can get messy , but you can get a taste of the beer hall experience any time of year . There are a number of beer halls around the city , one on Marienplatz itself , although the most famous is the Hofbrauhaus a few minutes to the north . But if a darkened , boozy room with an oompah band and the sight of some ill-fitting lederhosen is n't your preferred choice for lunch , there are many cafes and restaurants around the Altstadt to cater for all tastes . Away from the traditional aspects of the city , Munich is a hub for high tech , high art and high rollers . BMW has its HQ here -- auto fans should motor over to its museum . The city also has more than its fair share of world-class cultural attractions . The Residence Museum , National Theater and Museum of Egyptian Art are just a few to be found between Marienplatz and the Hofgarten . Just to the north is one of Europe 's largest city parks , the Englischer Garten , scene of the German tradition of the post-prandial walk . The park stretches about 5 km away from the city center . View photos of the Englischer Garten and more of Munich '' As you 're walking through you can duck off to the west and you 'll be close to Munich 's cultural big hitters , the Pinakothek museums . The Pinakothek triumvirate have enough art and history to span hundreds of years , and take almost as long to see in their entirety . If you 've only got a few hours it 's a better idea to pick one . The latest edition is the Pinakothek der Moderne , which opened in 2002 and houses an impressive collection of 20th century and contemporary art in an almost equally impressive interior . If you 've had your fill of art , take a short walk north and you 'll hit the formerly bohemian residential area of Schwabing . Now more well-to-do , the area retains a bit of cultural mix , with the nearby university providing some youthful energy . Independent shops , cafes and bars are dotted around the streets , some catering for student budgets , others for those who paid off their student loans long ago . It 's a fine area to stop for some afternoon coffee and cake -- The News Bar has a mix of the local demographic and Cafe Zeitgeist on Turkenstrasse is another choice spot . Further afield , there 's the vast , but staid , Deutsches Museum on its own island in the middle of the River Iser , while to the west of the city is Olympic park . It 's home to the Tollwood summer and winter festivals , but year round you can get a great view from the tower of the Olympic Stadium of the city and the former home to the city 's two football clubs . The Allianz Arena , a huge swirl of a stadium that opened in 2005 , is now the home of Bayern and lowly 1860 Munich . Football fans can visit the stadium with daily tours . From the masses to regal splendor , the Nymphenburg Palace was the summer residence of the Wittelbach dynasty that ruled Bavaria for over 700 years until 1919 . The grand rooms should sate anyone 's need for gold gilt and eighteenth-century grandeur . When evening comes , the city can accommodate those with a hunger for cosmopolitan dining as well as more traditional cuisine . For entertainment , theaters and the city 's opera house provide more refined fare , while those in search of some more late-night , grungy fun can head to the complex of bars and clubs of the Kultfabrik -- a former industrial site now offering late-night kicks on an industrial scale . Better than Berlin ? What do you think of Munich ? Send in your travel tips for the Bavarian city using the Sound Off box below . | The biggest city in Bavaria mixes local tradition and cultured sophistication . From beer halls to 17th-century palaces , visits can be tailored to suit all tastes . Oktoberfest is an annual exception ; city is home to a number of world-class galleries . | [[77, 168], [385, 456], [525, 621], [622, 680], [2570, 2615], [2791, 2799], [2805, 2871]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Health officials expect more than 3 million doses of H1N1 flu vaccine to be available in the first week of October . Three flu shot manufacturers were licensed by the FDA last week . `` 3.4 million doses of vaccines will be available , '' said Dr. Jay Butler , who heads the 2009 H1N1 Vaccine Task Force at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . `` All of that vaccine is the inhalable vaccine , '' he said Friday . That form of vaccine is marketed in the United States as FluMist and is approved only for healthy individuals between the ages of 2 and 49 . Pregnant women are not allowed to get this type of vaccine because it contains a live virus . Butler added that he thinks there some flu shots may be available in early October as well , but he had a hard number only for the inhalable vaccine . Flu shots contain an `` inactivated , '' or dead , virus . Take a quiz about the H1N1 flu '' The 3.4 million doses of vaccine that will be shipped at the beginning of October are the first of 195 million doses the U.S. government has purchased from five vaccine manufacturers , Butler said . Last week , the Food and Drug Administration licensed the vaccine from four of those companies . Sanofi Pasteur , Novartis and CSL Limited all manufacture flu shots , and MedImmune manufactures the inhalable vaccine . GlaxoSmithkline , which also is producing injectable flu vaccine , still needs to have its vaccine approved by the agency . Health officials report that the new H1N1 flu virus has not changed from what was seen earlier this year , so they are expecting the vaccine to be very effective . In some parts of the country , the vaccine ca n't some soon enough . The deputy director of the CDC 's Influenza Division , Dr. Daniel Jernigan , said 21 states are now reporting widespread flu activity . `` It 's a very strange thing for us to see that amount of influenza at this time of year '' rather than much later in the flu season . Jernigan said there 's been only a small an increase in hospitalizations , mainly among young children and adults . But there has been a lot of activity in outpatient settings . Watch a report on the surprising spread of flu '' Until the vaccine becomes available , health officials have recommended steps that people can take to cut their chance of getting sick or , for those already sick , prevent the spread of the flu , including frequent handwashing , sneezing into a tissue or sleeve rather than into one 's hand , and staying home when sick . Those who are at the highest risk of getting seriously ill -- pregnant women , children , young adults and people with chronic lung or heart disease or diabetes -- should be the first to get vaccinated against the H1N1 flu virus . Health care workers and emergency medical personnel are also encouraged be vaccinated early . `` Our goal is to ultimately make the vaccine available to every American who wishes to be vaccinated , '' Butler said . `` The vaccine demand is hard to predict . '' Learn more about the H1N1 flu from the CDC . According to a CNN/Opinion Corp. poll conducted in late August , 66 percent of Americans plan to be vaccinated against H1N1 flu . Health care workers may not necessarily be among them . In the past , only about 40 percent of health care workers have been vaccinated against flu , according to the CDC . | Inhalable vaccine available only between ages 2 and 49 ; not for pregnant women . Some flu shots will be available in early October as well . New H1N1 has not changed much from earlier virus , officials say . 21 states are now reporting widespread flu activity . | [[463, 483], [520, 603], [604, 697], [90, 153], [698, 848], [716, 788], [967, 1023], [1483, 1623], [1716, 1768], [1793, 1851]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man has been arrested in connection with the July shooting death of former boxing champion Vernon Forrest , Atlanta police said Tuesday night . Vernon Forrest , seen in September , was killed July 25 near an Atlanta gas station . Demario Ware , 20 , turned himself in to police on Tuesday and is being held in the Fulton County jail on charges of murder , armed robbery and aggravated assault , Atlanta police said . Forrest , 38 , was shot in a neighborhood southwest of downtown Atlanta on the night of July 25 . Police and his longtime manager have said Forrest was robbed , leading to a confrontation in which he was shot several times . Forrest died of multiple gunshot wounds to the torso and thigh , the Fulton County Medical Examiner 's Office said . Information on what led police to suspect Ware in Forrest 's death was n't immediately available . The case still is under investigation , said Officer J. Polite Jr. , Atlanta police spokesman . Forrest 's longtime friend and manager , Charles Watson , said last month that Forrest was returning from the gym after a late workout when he and his godson stopped at a Southwest Atlanta gas station on the night Forrest was shot . While Forrest was at the gas station , a man snatched his wallet out of his hand after asking him for money , said Watson , who spoke to police and the godson . Atlanta police told CNN affiliate WSB-TV in July that Forrest chased the suspect and that gunfire was exchanged . Forrest was the International Boxing Council junior welterweight champion in 1995 , the World Boxing Council continental welterweight champion in 1997 , the North American Boxing Federation welterweight champion from 1998 to 2000 , the International Boxing Federation welterweight champion in 2001 , the WBC welterweight champion in 2002-2003 , and the WBC light welterweight champion in 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 , according to the BoxRec Web site . He was named the World Boxing Hall of Fame fighter of the year in 2002 , according to BoxRec . CNN 's Eliott C. McLaughlin contributed to this report . | Police : Man , 20 , arrested Tuesday in connection with July killing of Vernon Forrest . Forrest , 38 , was robbed and then shot during confrontation , Atlanta police say . Police : Suspect held on charges of murder , armed robbery and aggravated assault . Forrest was former welterweight and light middleweight boxing champion . | [[10, 33], [37, 144], [434, 455], [456, 463], [466, 468], [471, 553], [596, 614], [617, 643], [628, 643], [647, 680]] |
MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Florida high school student was killed Tuesday by another student during an altercation at the school , officials said . One student was killed following an argument between first and second periods , police at the scene said . The incident occurred just after 9 a.m. at Coral Gables Senior High School in Coral Gables , the officials said . The school was placed on lockdown after the incident . Two students were arguing between the first and second period at the school , and one produced a weapon and killed the other , police at the scene told reporters . Miami-Dade Public Schools identified the victim Tuesday afternoon as Juan Carlos Rivera , 17 . The students involved were both males , the district said . CNN affiliate WSVN reported the student was killed in the courtyard area of the school , where the 17-year-old was stabbed in the chest . A suspect was taken into custody just after the incident and was being interviewed , officials said . His name was not released . Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said students ' parents were being contacted after the incident , and crisis psychologists were being made available to students , faculty and parents . Watch as bystanders gather at the Florida high school '' `` I think we need to understand that whether it 's Liberty City , Opa-Locka or Coral Gables , children are responding to everyday stressful situations in very negative ways , '' Carvalho said . '' ... Random acts of violence like the one we saw here today are almost not preventable . '' Coral Gables is about 8 miles southwest of Miami . CNN 's Shawn Nottingham contributed to this report . | NEW : Victim identified in high school stabbing in Coral Gables , Florida . NEW : Juan Carlos Rivera , 17 , was killed in altercation in school courtyard area . A male suspect is taken into custody , but police do not identify him . Superintendent : Violent acts such as this `` are almost not preventable '' | [[8, 31], [50, 138], [598, 692], [753, 839], [993, 1020], [1498, 1534], [1553, 1581]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Garrison Keillor , author and host of the folksy radio show `` A Prairie Home Companion , '' was being treated Wednesday for a minor stroke he suffered over the weekend , a hospital spokesman said . Author Garrison Keillor attends an event in New York on November 18 , 2008 . Keillor , who turned 67 last month , was admitted to St. Mary 's Hospital at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester , Minnesota , on Sunday night , spokesman Karl Oestreich said in a news release . `` He is up and moving around , speaking sensibly , working at a laptop , and it 's expected he 'll be released on Friday , '' Oestreich said . `` He plans to resume a normal schedule next week . '' The live variety show `` A Prairie Home Companion '' is aired on Minnesota Public Radio . Keillor launched the program on July 6 , 1974 , in a St. Paul , Minnesota , college theater before an audience of 12 people . According to a `` Backstage Chat '' on the show , Keillor got the idea for it from watching the Grand Ole Opry . Keillor , also a storyteller and satirist , has written 11 books , including three for children . He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1994 . | Garrison Keillor , 67 , was admitted to a hospital in Rochester , Minnesota , on Sunday . Spokesman : `` He plans to resume a normal schedule next week '' Keillor is expected to be released from the hospital on Friday . | [[295, 302], [332, 400], [630, 678], [561, 604]] |
-LRB- Entertainment Weekly -RRB- -- Punctuation promises comedy in `` The Informant ! '' as if the title subject is a cartoon secret agent -- maybe Agent 86 in `` Get Smart . '' Matt Damon , as a corporate turncoat , offers up secrets in `` The Informant ! '' But he 's not . The whistle-blower worthy of an exclamation point in this groovy-looking , chuckle-baiting , fact-based movie from protean director Steven Soderbergh is Mark Whitacre -LRB- Matt Damon -RRB- , a biochemist and well-placed executive at the agri-processing giant Archer Daniels Midland -LRB- ADM -RRB- in Decatur , Illinois . It 's the early 1990s . The company man is helping expose ADM 's alleged global price-fixing activities to the FBI , cooperating with the feds long enough to gather invaluable evidence . But what Whitacre does n't confide to his FBI handlers , and what his wheat-colored jackets , Dilbert ties , and weakling mustache hide , at least at first , is that this inside source is not completely trustworthy . Damon , fattened up to fit his boxy suits , wears Whitacre 's slack demeanor beautifully . The star -- who has quietly and steadily turned into a great Everyman actor -- is in nimble control as he reveals his character 's deep crazies . Watch why Damon gained 30 pounds for the role '' Soderbergh 's amused study of the highest-ranking corporate whistleblower in U.S. history is adapted from `` The Informant : A True Story , '' an amazing , deeply reported book by New York Times reporter Kurt Eichenwald . That book told the story without editorial eye-rolling . But somewhere between Eichenwald 's journalistic attention to detail and the bubbly , dialogue-besotted script by `` The Bourne Ultimatum 's '' Scott Z. Burns , Soderbergh has chosen to apply an attitude of arch whoopee , a greasy veneer of mirth over what is , no joke , a serious mess of malfeasance and mental instability . It 's tempting to laugh , but what 's the joke : Whitacre ? ADM ? The FBI ? The fashion trends of Decatur ? Smarty condescension lurks behind the suburban bushes . Had a '90s date and place card not been supplied , I would have remained in an honest muddle about the era depicted on screen . And since Whitacre is subliminally likened to bumbling , fictional Maxwell Smart , that 's probably as the filmmaker intended . The artistic choice is reinforced by a '70s - era `` Laugh-In '' aesthetic seen in everything from the smiley yellow novelty typography of the opening credits to the fancy rubber-chicken music served up in heaps of horns and whistles by essence-of - '70s composer Marvin Hamlisch . Sock it to me . Playing it straight and letting his Sam-Donaldson-meets-Spock hairdo suggest otherwise , Scott Bakula makes an appealing FBI agent with a deadpan grimace just this side -- or maybe it 's the other side -- of `` Dragnet 's '' Joe Friday . Comedian Joel McHale from E! 's `` The Soup '' plays the fellow agent who stares with big round eyes while his partner squints at Whitacre 's successive leakages of truth/lie / truth/lie . The always wonderful , huggable Melanie Lynskey , who stole the show in `` Away We Go , '' does more great wifely work as Ginger Whitacre , her husband 's biggest booster . A valued subset of Soderbergh 's audience is sure to dig iconic hipster comic brothers Tom and Dick Smothers in small roles . In fact , the wily pair would fit right in with an `` Ocean 's Whatever '' cast of coolios , enjoying some retro-style ensemble fun , regardless of whether the audience does . Soderbergh is as smart , stylish , and attentive a filmmaker as they come . And there are moments in `` The Informant ! '' when I can almost be convinced that the tonal feints he establishes at the intersection of joke and no-joke are seriously , thoughtfully meant to replicate the misaligned synapses in Whitacre 's own head . iReport.com : Damon 's latest worth checking out . But if that 's the intention , Soderbergh ultimately made the choice to abandon interesting , dispassionate empathy for the more quick-fix payoff of amusement . As Whitacre goes through his days , Damon recites interior monologues of distracted observation in voice-overs meant to demonstrate how his character 's unusual brain works . In `` The Informant ! '' , that brain -- screwy and yet capable of doing important undercover work -- free-associates like Ellen DeGeneres on a swing through Walmart . Cute , but as even Agent 86 would say in `` Get Smart '' : Missed it by that much . EW Grade : B . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | `` The Informant ! '' stars Matt Damon as corporate worker giving info to FBI . Damon 's character is an untrustworthy provider , and actor 's performance great . But movie plays situations too much for laughs , says EW . `` The Informant ! '' is directed by Steven Soderbergh . | [[178, 188], [217, 254]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The American man who swam to Aung San Suu Kyi 's home in Myanmar said Thursday he still believes he did the right thing , even though his visit led to an extension of the pro-democracy leader 's house arrest . John Yettaw told Aung San Suu Kyi he had a vision she would be murdered . John Yettaw , 53 , swam across a lake to Suu Kyi 's home in May and stayed for two days before authorities arrested him along with Suu Kyi and two of her staff . His presence violated the terms of Suu Kyi 's house arrest -- which was about to expire -- leading a judge to extend it by another 18 months . But Yettaw said he made the trip to Yangon to save Suu Kyi from assassination , and that it was successful . What critics have described as a `` stunt '' brought enough attention to her plight , he said , to ensure that Suu Kyi could not be killed by the country 's ruling military junta . Yettaw said on CNN 's `` American Morning '' that he is `` grateful that she 's alive , grateful that the entire world is watching and there 's no way these generals are ever going to try to assassinate her . '' To many , however , his visit did more harm than good . Some thought he might be mentally ill to attempt what he did -- an idea he rejects , though he says he can understand why people believe it . But Yettaw said he had no idea that Suu Kyi would be arrested and put on trial for something that he would do . `` I wept every day and I 've suffered every day '' because of the punishment she received , he told CNN . He called her sentence `` heartbreaking . '' The case of Suu Kyi , a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has been the symbol of the country 's opposition for two decades , first came to Yettaw 's attention when he was in Thailand and saw her photograph . `` I instantly had a premonition , or a vision , that I saw myself going through a lake and over a fence and was at a back door of a house , '' he told CNN . `` Then -LRB- I -RRB- Googled from there and realized she lived next to Inya Lake and I got a visa to get into Yangon . And I thought , since this has been presented to me , I 'm going to make this happen . '' The retired bus driver and Vietnam veteran from Missouri told his wife only that he had a premonition he would become a political prisoner in Myanmar . She told her husband not to go , but he went anyway . In November 2008 , Yettaw said , he managed to swim across the lake and leave scriptures from the Book of Mormon for Suu Kyi . But later he had a vision that Suu Kyi would be assassinated , so he decided to make another trip . That was the fateful trip on May 3 . `` The second time that I came was the same route , in through the sewer tunnel and into the water , '' he said . `` But this time of year the water level was much lower and I had two bags filled with a lot of stuff , and so I had to military-crawl with these two bags and I got caught . Two soldiers spotted me . `` Fortunately , by the time they got close to me , I rolled over into the water with my bags which were tied together , and I literally was walking through the water and they were frightened . They , I do n't think , saw me -- they saw this bag floating through the water and moving at a consistent rate , so they started throwing rocks at it . And inside I prayed , ` What do I do ? ' and the only response that I felt , inspiration , was ` keep walking . ' And that 's what I did . '' Yettaw managed to reach Suu Kyi 's house and was able to explain that he had a vision she would be murdered . He said Suu Kyi did n't think he was crazy , and she was `` absolutely '' happy to see him . Yettaw was arrested and convicted of violating immigration laws , municipal laws , and the conditions of Suu Kyi 's house arrest . He was sentenced to seven years of hard labor , though he was freed this month after U.S. Sen. Jim Webb traveled to Myanmar and intervened in his case . After his arrest , Yettaw said , he spent two and a half weeks under armed guard and was subject to interrogation at any hour of the day or night . Suu Kyi was initially sentenced to three years in prison after a military court found her guilty of violating her house arrest , but the head of the junta later commuted it to 18 months of home confinement . Suu Kyi 's two housekeepers , who are her sole companions in her heavily guarded residence , also were sentenced to 18 months of house arrest to be served alongside Suu Kyi . The opposition leader told the court she did n't know Yettaw , was unaware of his plans to visit , and did n't report his intrusion because she did n't want him to get in trouble . Yettaw insists he saved Suu Kyi 's life . He said the ordeal has made him value the rights people have in the United States . `` I 'm so grateful we live in a country where we have freedom of speech , and over there -LRB- in Myanmar -RRB- , where they speak the truth , they 're killed and imprisoned , '' Yettaw told CNN . `` I want you to know that even on our worst day ... the United States is one of the greatest nations in the world . '' Suu Kyi was put under house arrest in 1989 . The following year , her National League for Democracy party won more than 80 percent of the legislative seats in the first free elections in the country in nearly 30 years . The military junta disqualified Suu Kyi from serving because of her house arrest , annulled the election results and refused to step down . The government has said next year 's scheduled elections will reintroduce democracy in Myanmar . But its rules forbids citizens who bore children with foreigners from running for office . That makes Suu Kyi ineligible because she married a British man and has two sons with him . | John Yettaw : Made the trip to Yangon to save Suu Kyi from assassination . Said he had no idea pro-democracy leader would be arrested and put on trial . Yettaw had swam uninvited to Suu Kyi 's house and stayed for three days . The visit to her home violated her house arrest terms , Myanmar government says . | [[612, 696], [1312, 1405], [19, 35], [40, 83], [465, 523]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized Thursday after falling ill in her chambers , the court confirmed . Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg became ill in her chambers on Thursday . Ginsburg , 76 , felt faint , light-headed and fatigued about 4:50 p.m. , around an hour after receiving a treatment for iron deficiency , the court said in a statement . She was monitored by an in-house physician , who performed blood tests and found her to be in stable health . Her symptoms improved , though she was taken to the Washington Hospital Center as a precaution at about 7:45 p.m. , according to the court statement . Ginsburg had surgery in February for pancreatic cancer . She termed the removal of her cancer `` successful '' and was back on the bench 18 days later when the high court resumed oral arguments . Ginsburg , who was appointed by President Clinton , has been on the Supreme Court since 1993 . She was the second woman appointed to the court . | Ruth Bader Ginsburg feels faint , light-headed and fatigued about 4:50 p.m. The 76-year-old Supreme Court Justice had treatment for iron deficiency hour earlier . She 's sent to Washington Hospital Center as a precaution at about 7:45 p.m. | [[161, 243], [244, 252], [260, 314], [332, 379], [548, 637]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Muslims around the world woke up Sunday and welcomed the end of a long month of fasting with hearty greetings of `` Eid Mubarak , '' or happy festivities . Egyptian women perform the Eid al-Fitr dawn prayer at a stadium in Mansura , 120 km north of Cairo . The faithful were ushering in Eid al-Fitr -- three days of celebrations that Muslims mark with joyous community prayers , acts of charity , visits from far-flung relatives , gift-giving and elaborate feasts . `` Think Christmas , Thanksgiving , New Year 's -- all rolled into one . It 's that huge for us , '' said Sajjad Aziz of Hoboken , New Jersey . Islam follows a lunar calendar , and the timing of Eid al-Fitr varies around the world depending on when the crescent of a new moon is sighted . So , while most countries -- including the United States -- observed Eid on Sunday , some will begin their celebrations on Monday . The night before Eid , entire communities gather on rooftops , scanning the sky with giddy anticipation . `` It only needs one sighting of the moon in the whole country , and the whole nation erupts in cheers , '' said Qazi Arif , 35 , of Sirajgong , Bangladesh . `` It 's a divine feeling , hard to describe . '' Eid al-Fitr bids goodbye to Ramadan -- a month of dawn-to-dusk abstinence from food , drinks and other sensual pleasures . Muslims believe the Quran , the religion 's holy book , was revealed to Prophet Muhammad during Ramadan more than 1,400 years ago . The Eid is one of two major holidays in Islam , alongside another called Eid al-Adha . The latter commemorates the prophet Abraham 's willingness to sacrifice his son , Ishmael , for God . On the morning of Eid , Muslims don new clothes and head to prayers that are often held in open fields to accommodate crowds too big to contain in mosques . Those who can afford it donate a small percentage of their possession or its equivalent to the poor and needy so they too can avail themselves for the celebrations . Feasts await at every house . `` It 's a festival principally about community . We 're even asked to take a different route when we walk back from prayers so that we can meet different sets of people to greet and celebrate with , '' said Wasim Iqbal of Karachi , Pakistan . For Muslims in North America -- and countries where they are the minority -- Eid is a more subdued affair . `` If you have family close by , then you can kind of capture the mood that you remember from back home , '' said Abdallah Gamal , a native of Egypt who lives in St. Louis , Missouri . `` But it 's not the same . '' Because the U.S. Census does not ask about religious affiliation , it is difficult to gauge the Muslim population in the United States . The Pew Muslim American study conducted two years ago estimated it at 2.5 million , while the Council on American-Islamic Relations places it as high as 6 million . On Saturday , both President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton offered greetings to American Muslims . `` We know there is more than unites peoples of faith than divides us , '' Clinton said . `` So as Ramadan draws to a close , let us hold on to that spirit of community throughout the year to achieve our common goals of peace , prosperity and stability . '' It is a message that Afghanistan 's president , Hamid Karzai , also shared during Eid prayers when he called on the Taliban to join the peace process in his war-weary country . The day was n't one of universal comity , however . In Yemen , the government and rebels accused each other Saturday of breaking a cease-fire they both asked for to commemorate Eid . And Iran 's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei used his Eid sermon to launch another volley at the country 's arch-rival Israel and at Western powers . `` We 're not quite there , I 'll will admit , '' said Mehreen Ali of Boston , Massachusetts . `` But have you seen an Eid prayer ? Rows and rows of Muslims all prostrating together in unison . It 's a feeling of such unity and brotherhood . You have to believe that with that spirit present , anything is possible . '' | Eid al-Fitr marks end of Ramadan -- dawn-to-dusk abstinence from food , drinks . Timing of Eid varies around world depending on when crescent of new moon sighted . On the morning of Eid , Muslims don new clothes and head to prayers . On Saturday Barack Obama offered greetings to American Muslims . | [[666, 715], [706, 773], [1664, 1685], [1688, 1720], [1688, 1731], [1767, 1820], [2887, 2898], [2901, 3014]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Actor Michael Jai White thinks the negative connotation surrounding the term `` blaxploitation film '' is a bunch of jive . Michael Jai White stars in the new spoof `` Black Dynamite . '' `` The problem I have with the word is that it seems to encompass movies that do n't fall under that category , '' White said . `` As soon as you hear the title ` Shaft ' people think ` blaxploitation ' and that is absolutely unfair because that film was made before the term even existed . '' White , the star and co-writer of the new movie `` Black Dynamite , '' would rather people focus on what he views as the positives of the genre of 1970s urban action films starring African-American actors . His new movie , which opened in limited release last weekend and will start going wider , follows the exploits of Black Dynamite , a former CIA agent who takes to the streets after his brother is killed by the mafia , orphanages are flooded with drugs and some bad malt liquor finds its way into the ` hood . It is both a spoof of , and homage to , the genre whose films like `` Black Caesar , '' `` The Mac , '' `` Foxy Brown , '' and `` Superfly '' have developed a cult following over the years . `` Black Dynamite '' caught the eye of Sony Pictures at the Sundance Film Festival and the studio acquired the rights to distribute the film . A viral marketing campaign helped whip up anticipation for the movie , which also features former late-night talk show host Arsenio Hall and `` In Living Color '' cast member Tommy Davidson as pimps . Director Scott Sanders said he has always been fascinated by the fact that while blaxploitation really only grabbed hold of the industry for about five years during the early 1970s , it was so influential . `` It was such an extreme genre with the look and the music and there were really no boundaries or rules , '' he said . `` It 's always been a fascination for me given how much it influenced hip-hop , black culture and culture as a whole , given the brevity . '' White , best known for his roles in the films `` Spawn '' and Tyler Perry 's `` Why Did I Get Married , '' said he is a huge fan of blaxploitation films and views his movie as a loving send-up . While he is aware that some of the films were unintentionally funny with their low-budget gaffes -- such as the appearance of mic booms in some scenes -- and their stereotypes , White said the genre is a valued part of the movie industry 's history . `` These movies really saved Hollywood because the studio system was in trouble and they learned that they had a cash cow with these films , '' he said . `` Later they exploited it by making any movie and throwing the term ` black ' in front of it and that 's what made it exploitive . '' They also gave African-American actors a chance to work and reflected a people 's pride following the gains of the civil rights era . Laurence Washington , managing editor and co-publisher of Blackflix.com , said the movies helped young , black fans like him realize that `` when we grow up we do n't have to be train porters , busboys and waiters . '' The films instead portrayed handsome , brave and suave black heroes who always got the girl , Washington said . `` When the blaxploitation films came out in the '70s , black audiences had never had action film heroes they could identify with , '' he said . '' -LSB- The movies -RSB- also opened the door for today 's black actors and directors to enter the mainstream . '' Darius James , author of `` That 's Blaxploitation ! : Roots of the Baadasssss ` Tude -LRB- Rated X by an All-Whyte Jury -RRB- , '' said blaxploitation films were like any other film that appeal to a specific audience , such as the indie movies of Roger Corman and Russ Meyer . James said he grew up seeing civil rights workers beaten and hosed on television and the movies came out time when there was a sense of defiance and resistance against the marginalization of African-Americans . `` These films , black exploitation films , reflected that spirit , '' James said . White said he wishes there were more action films starring black actors these days . The films of the past were fearless and about true emotion , he said . `` The ` black is beautiful ' movement had taken off and there was so much pride , '' White said . `` When they called each other ` brother ' they meant it . '' `` The heroes were strong , sexy and they kicked ass . '' `` I ask ` Where is that now ? ' I would like people to look at our film and say : ` Where are the black actors like that now ? ' '' Jay Potts , the cartoonist behind World of Hurt -- which bills itself as `` The Internet 's # 1 Blaxploitation Webcomic '' -- said he hopes `` Black Dynamite '' furthers interest in the genre . And while `` blaxploitation '' is a convenient moniker to lump in films that may not have always had the best production value , Potts said they were a testament to an era . `` The films came out at a time when black people were learning about themselves and flexing their creative muscles , '' Potts said . `` To me , there was a lot of fun , had a lot of energy and while it always was n't perfect by any means there was so much life in it that I hope people take another look . '' | `` Black Dynamite '' spoofs the blaxploitation genre . Film stars Michael Jai White , who says he is a fan of the movies . Director Scott Sanders says genre greatly influenced the culture . Author says films reflected a post civil rights era spirit . | [[1931, 1996], [4887, 4931]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Henry Olszewski was stoked in 2008 when he , along with millions of Americans , drafted New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to his fantasy football team . Tom Brady 's season-ending knee injury last year sparked an idea at Intermarket Insurance . About eight minutes into the season , a 220-pound safety was blocked into Brady 's knee , tearing two of the quarterback 's ligaments . Brady 's season ended , as did Olszewski 's . `` That Monday , -LSB- Olszewski -RSB- came in the office , and he was bummed out , '' said Anthony Giaccone , president of Intermarket Insurance . `` He asked , ` Why ca n't we buy insurance for fantasy team players ? ' '' Thus spawned the brainchild for Fantasy Sports Insurance , which guarantees that NFL players wo n't miss a certain number of games . FSI will reimburse a fantasy player 's entry fee if they do . It 's one of a blitz of bizarre businesses cropping up in the $ 800 million industry of turning quarterback stats to greenbacks , said Paul Charchian , president of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association . See fantasy football 's top 10 prospects '' Charchian is familiar with the wellspring of offbeat companies fueled by the fantasy football craze ; he owns LeagueSafe , which stores league entry fees in a bank until it issues a payout to the winner at season 's end . Other specialty businesses , he said , range from the obvious , such as trophy companies , to the esoteric , such as fantasy dispute resolution . You read the last one correctly . Web sites like fantasydispute.com and sportsjudge.com offer to mitigate fretful fantasy feuds . Think there was collusion in a trade or your league commissioner is playing favorites ? Write up your dispute and send it to one of the sites . For $ 15 , a lawyer will settle your quibble . For the uninitiated : Fantasy football players generally `` draft '' NFL quarterbacks , running backs , wide receivers , tight ends and team defenses and use their statistics each week to score points in head-to-head matchups . Countless variations have proliferated , as have magazines and Web sites beholden only to fantasy players . Sort the top picks by position at SI.com . The NFL has introduced the RedZone Channel , which flips between games where a team is on the verge of scoring , CBSsports.com has launched a live Web show called `` Fantasy Football Today , '' and cable 's FX is scheduled to air a sitcom based on a fantasy football league this year . The stakes have skyrocketed as well . The World Championship of Football offers a $ 300,000 top prize . The Fantasy Football Open Championship 's is $ 1 million . The Wall Street Journal reported last year that a group of well-heeled financiers has a 10-team league with a $ 100,000 entry fee . A June study by the research company Ipsos says three in 20 American men -LRB- and one in 20 women -RRB- play some fantasy sport . `` It takes the fans of one sports team and makes them interested in every game that 's happening , '' said Jason Kint , senior vice president and general manager for CBSsports.com . `` It 's a welcome escape , as much of sports is right now . '' Not all fans are enamored , however . ESPN 's Colin Cowherd explained his aversion on his radio show last month , saying fantasy football was too time-consuming and , in his experience , for `` total nerds and geeks . '' `` I 'm a gambler , lived in Vegas . My friends are gamblers . We do n't play fantasy football , '' he said . `` We 're busy . We have jobs . We have careers . We have lives . We do n't have time for three-hour draft parties and an hour or two on the computer every week to update our fullback situation . '' But more than 22 million Americans and Canadians do , Charchian said , and the economic downturn does n't seem to be sacking the industry . `` It 's hard to get out . It 's enmeshed in your social circle , '' he explained . Also , with most leagues costing less than $ 10 a week and with the average player spending nine hours weekly researching and tweaking his or her roster , `` the dollar-per-entertainment value is really advantageous , '' Charchian said . Fantasy players at CBSsports.com spent an average of 102 minutes per visit on the site , according to Nielsen data from last year . The site has more users willing to pay to play , whereas competitors like NFL.com and Yahoo! host predominantly free games , `` so it 's more meaningful to them , '' Kint said . Kint could not divulge specific figures but said `` millions '' play CBSsports.com 's free and pay games . Entry fees and related fantasy products make up about 30 percent of the site 's non-advertising revenue , he said . Advertisers are getting wise to the `` coveted market , '' comprised largely of young , educated males , Kint said , as evidenced by the site 's partnerships with Ford , Snickers , Buffalo Wild Wings and Dave & Buster 's . `` When people are down and depressed , they look for escapes . Fantasy football fills that void like booze and anything else that kind of distracts you , '' said Ed Reichow , owner of Titlecraft , which builds custom trophies only for fantasy footballers . Reichow had the idea after a decade of making trophies for his personal fantasy league . He sold 70 trophies in his first year and is on track to sell more than 100 this year . They are handcrafted from materials such as cherry , Carpathian elm and Swarovski crystal and range in price from $ 129 to $ 799 , he said . `` It 's something you can really pass down if you want to , '' he said . `` And the wife is n't going to get upset if you put it on the mantle , because it 's nicer than some of the furniture in the room . '' But what would the wife think about buying insurance policies on your fantasy football players ? Some spouses must be OK with it because , FSI 's Giaccone reported , business has been threefold what he expected -- this , despite that it costs considerably more , percentagewise , to insure a fantasy quarterback than it does a real quarterback . Chris Nash , an underwriter with Australia-based Sportscover , which insures athletes , said the average U.S. football player pays up to 4 percent of the sum insured . FSI 's products range between 10 percent and 15 percent of the league entry fee . Despite the contrast , Giaccone described fantasy insurance as a must-have for fantasy die-hards . He went so far as to question the sanity of some fantasy players who might ignore his product . `` If you are playing fantasy sports and you have Tom Brady on your team , you 'd be crazy not to insure him , '' he said . | Magazines , Web sites , TV shows spin off $ 800 million fantasy football industry . Two sites offer real lawyers to settle fantasy-sports disputes for $ 15 each . Experts : Game provides cheap entertainment , `` welcome escape '' from hard times . Prizes include $ 1 million , trophies made of Carpathian elm , Swarovski crystal . | [[898, 1001], [1524, 1619], [1764, 1772], [1775, 1810], [3086, 3110], [2580, 2638], [5332, 5460]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Investigators have found the knife believed to have been used in the stabbing of a University of California , Los Angeles student in a chemistry lab , authorities said Friday . A student stabbing victim is recovering at UCLA Medical Center , authorities say . The 20-year-old , whose identity has not been released , is being treated at the UCLA hospital for multiple stab wounds , including ones to her neck , sustained in the Thursday attack . Police have arrested Damon Thompson , a 20-year-old UCLA senior , who is accused of stabbing the woman at the lab in Young Hall . He is being held on $ 1 million bail . The knife was found at the scene of the attack on Thursday , Detective Mike Pelletier told CNN , though he did not disclose details about the weapon . A statement Friday from the victim 's family said , `` She is showing signs of improvement , and her surgeons expect a good result as she continues to heal . '' Last month , Connecticut authorities found the body of a 24-year-old pharmacology graduate student inside a wall of a lab building at Yale University . She had been strangled . Raymond Clark III , 24 , a lab technician at Yale , is charged with murder in Annie Le 's death . CNN 's Monica Trevino and Sonya Hamasaki contributed to this report . | Police have not released name of woman student stabbed in chemistry lab . Another UCLA student has been arrested in the case , is held on $ 1 million bond . Victim 's family says she is recovering , `` showing signs of improvement '' | [[44, 192], [620, 658], [810, 859], [862, 940]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar of Springdale , Arkansas , are the parents of 18 children , and their family is the focus of a TLC network reality series . Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar say they are grateful for their 18 children , and may have more . Joy Behar , guest host Thursday night on `` Larry King Live , '' asked the Duggars how they are able to stay debt free with such a large family and what they thought of Nadya Suleman , the single mother who recently gave birth to octuplets after having fertility treatments . Following is a transcript of their conversation . Joy Behar : Let me ask you something . What is your reaction to this octomom ? Nadya Suleman , the story . What do you think about that ? Michelle Duggar : Well , I just know from my own heart , I ca n't judge and look at her and judge her situation . I just know from my heart , and personally God changed our heart about children years ago . And so we 've kind of gone about it the old-fashioned way . And so we are enjoying each one of the blessings that God has given us , and we 're thankful for each one of them . Behar : Right , at least you guys enjoyed having the babies , you went through the sex then the giving birth . This woman did n't have any of that , except the giving birth , which must have been rough , do n't you think ? Michelle Duggar : Oh , my , I ca n't imagine . I had twins , but I have -- I just ca n't imagine having eight at once and the responsibility that that brings . Behar : Why do you suppose this woman has provoked such negativity ? They have a `` USA Today '' Gallup poll saying 70 percent of those surveyed are unsympathetic to this woman . What is going on ? Michelle Duggar : Well , you know , I feel like probably more than anything it 's just the fact of the responsibility issues from their perspective , and I , you know , I imagine that 's probably more of the animosity that 's out there . And so -- but I do -- I just ca n't imagine , you know , her -- how she 's going to handle that many little ones under the age of 8 . That 's a lot of little ones all at once . Jim Bob Duggar : We just need to pray for her . Behar : But you guys have n't experienced that kind of hostility for the children you have . Is that because you 're married ? Michelle Duggar : I do n't know . I think maybe , you know , being that God 's given ours one or two at a time and we 've kind of done it the old-fashioned way , I do n't know . We love them , we 're enjoying them , and by God 's grace we 're taking care of them if he gives us one more . So I just think we 're grateful . Behar : I understand that you guys are debt free . I ca n't even imagine how you pulled that off . ... How did you do that ? Jim Bob Duggar : Well , back about 18 years ago , we saw Jim Sammons ' financial seminar on DVD , and it was life-changing . At that point , we purposed to try to get out of debt and try to stay out of debt . And our family motto is to buy used and save the difference . We shop a lot at garage sales , thrift stores . Michelle Duggar : Auctions . We bought our industrial kitchen equipment that way , our vehicles that way , and so we really cut corners and we live very frugally . Jim Bob Duggar : That 's right , we 've never bought a new vehicle . So we do live -- we try to -- we know how to stretch a dollar . Behar : How many cars do you have ? Jim Bob Duggar : We actually have probably about , what ? Seven or eight right now ? Michelle Duggar : We have a lot of drivers , which is great . Behar : Seven or eight cars , well , that 's an expensive proposition , is n't it ? Do you get public assistance of any kind ? Jim Bob Duggar : No , we do n't -- we 've never had any public assistance . Just like our 21-passenger bus , we bought at a sealed-bid auction for $ 2,100 , we bought an '04 Suburban at an auction for like $ 7,000 . Instead of $ 40,000 on a vehicle we ... Behar : Yeah , I got it . I see what you 're doing . But you have a book deal and a TV show . That 's got to help . Do you think the octomom could get a TV show like you have ? That might help her a lot . Michelle Duggar : I could not imagine having that many little ones and being busy with a show . I think for our situation , our children are a lot older and our heart is really to just share with other families , encourage them that children are a gift and enjoy them while you have them because they grow up really fast . And so ... Behar : Well , you keep having more . But you have plenty to still enjoy . They keep coming . I do n't see that you 're ever going to have an empty nest syndrome . They 're going to be there . Michelle Duggar : I hope not . Behar : You guys will never be alone . Michelle Duggar : We look forward to grandbabies , then . That 'll be fun . Behar : You know , let me ask you one more question about her . If she did get involved in doing a reality show like you guys are doing , do you have any advice for her ? What kind of show should she have ? Maybe she needs a baseball team or something . What advice could you give her ? Michelle Duggar : I do n't -- I really -- I do n't know . Jim Bob Duggar : Yeah , I think it 's a full-time job just taking care of the children while they 're young . Maybe 10 years from now when the kids are 10 years old , that might be an option . But when they 're all small , I think there 's a lot of needs . And so , I think , she 'll have her hands full . As I know when we had seven that were 7 and under , it was a very busy time . Behar : Are you going to have some more , Michelle ? Jim Bob Duggar : I 've always left it up to Michelle . Michelle Duggar : We 'll see . We 'll take it one at a time . I would love more , but we 'll see if the Lord sees fit and blesses us with another one . Behar : Do you ever say to Jim Bob , get away from me , I have a headache ? Jim Bob Duggar : Actually , I ca n't keep her away from me . Behar : Oh , boy . You guys are funny . OK , thanks so much for sharing your time with us yet again . Good luck to you both . Michelle Duggar : Thank you . Jim Bob Duggar : Thank you , Joy . | Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have 18 children , are subject of reality show . The Duggars have managed to stay debt-free by buying used and saving difference . Michelle on octuplets ' mom : `` I just ca n't imagine having eight at once '' Maybe when octuplets are older , mom could handle doing reality show , Jim Bob says . | [[0, 60], [74, 104], [111, 170], [2939, 3000], [1362, 1380], [1399, 1474]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Five members of a family were found slain in their Beason , Illinois , home , authorities said Tuesday , and they urged people in the area to be cautious until the killer is found . Police officers stand patrol outside the Gee household late Monday evening . `` This was a brutal homicide against an entire family and we are determined to identify and arrest those responsible , '' Logan County Sheriff Steve Nichols said in a news conference . He said authorities received a 911 call about a possible shooting at the home shortly before 4:30 p.m. -LRB- 5:30 p.m. ET -RRB- Monday . When law enforcement officials arrived , they discovered the five bodies , Nichols said . He identified the dead as Raymond Gee , 46 ; Ruth Gee , 39 ; Justina Constant , 16 ; Dillon Constant , 14 ; and Austin Gee , 11 . One survivor , a 3-year-old girl , is in a hospital in Peoria , Illinois , he said . He did not identify the girl . The sheriff did not release the manner of death , but said autopsies were under way Tuesday . He warned people in the area to be cautious . `` Until we find this person , we would consider this person armed and dangerous , '' Nichols said . He did not release any further details , and it was not immediately clear if authorities had identified a suspect . `` Leads have been developed and are being vigorously pursued , '' he said , without elaborating . Beason is about 45 miles northeast of Springfield , Illinois . CNN 's Kara Devlin contributed to this report . | `` This was a brutal homicide against an entire family , '' sheriff says . One survivor , a 3-year-old girl , hospitalized in Peoria , Illinois . Killings occurred in Beason , Illinois , about 45 miles northeast of Springfield . The latest on the investigation on tonight 's Nancy Grace , HLN 8pm and 10pm ET . | [[278, 332], [821, 833], [856, 882], [0, 15], [19, 94], [1393, 1442]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Over-the-counter cold and cough medicines do n't work for children under age 6 , and giving the common medicine to young children can not be recommended , a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee said in October . An FDA panel has called for more studies on how cold medicines affect children . The panel of health experts , which looked at how safe and effective antihistamines , decongestants , antitussins and expectorants are in children , said it is not appropriate to take data from adults and apply it to children under 12 . After a two-day hearing , the panel called for more studies about how the medicines affect children . Although the panel 's recommendation is nonbinding , it could lead to changes in how cough and cold medicines are used . The votes are to be taken into consideration by FDA regulators , who might take action against the products at a later time . Dr. Jeff Jenkins , of the FDA 's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research , said it could take a year or even years for the agency to make a final decision on the recommendations . During the panel 's meeting , the experts looked at a number of proposals , including whether multiple-symptom over-the-counter pediatric cough and cold medicines should be banned for children under 6 years old . FDA experts voted 13-9 that certain cold medicines with certain ingredients should not be used by young children . The committee said medicines with the same ingredients could be used by children ages 6 to 12 . The experts voted unanimously to require that standardized dosing devices accompany all liquid medicines , in an effort to reduce the likelihood of excessive or unintentional overdosing . Separately , the committee voted to allow marketing of multiple-symptom products to children between the ages of 2 and 12 if new research showed the products to be safe and effective . Combination products can be particularly susceptible to problems with overdosing because parents sometimes do n't realize they are duplicating ingredients . Committee members also emphasized the importance of proper and easy-to-read labels . Dr. Daniel Rausch , director of the pediatric hospital program for New York University , said that cold medicine is effective only at doses that are too strong for young children . Rausch recommends a more traditional treatment where dosing is n't a problem : chicken soup . `` A cold does not kill , so people should just relax , '' Rausch said . `` Kids get sick and there 's nothing that people can do about it , but they will get better . '' About 800 pediatric cough and cold products are sold in the United States , many using multiple ingredients that have been marketed for use in children for some 30 years . Earlier this year , the FDA completed a review that found that between 1969 and the fall of 2006 , there were 54 reported child deaths from decongestants and 69 from antihistamines . Watch one family 's tragic ending '' Most of the deaths occurred in children under 2 . In August , federal health officials recommended the `` consult your physician '' advice to parents on the labels of cold and cough medicines aimed at young children be replaced by a warning not to use the medications in children under 2 unless directed to do so by a health care provider . Before the FDA hearings , some of the leading manufacturers of cold and cough medicines announced a voluntary recall of more than a dozen cold medicines for infants . The Consumer Healthcare Products Association said the products were being pulled `` out of an abundance of caution . '' Potential misuse of the medications , not product safety , is driving the voluntary withdrawal , the group said . The American Academy of Pediatrics applauded last week 's decision to pull those products , saying , `` These medicines are ineffective and can have serious side effects . There are other ways to treat cold symptoms . '' The AAP suggests : . When the drug industry voluntarily withdrew products last week , it insisted that when used as directed , the drugs are safe , and they work . `` Parents can continue to trust over-the-counter cough and cold remedies for their children , '' said Linda A. Suydam , president of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association . `` We strongly encourage parents to adhere to the recommended dosing instructions for all medicines , recognizing that the vast majority of adverse events associated with their use are due to inadvertent overdosing and misuse . '' Suydam said CHPA will be launching a major educational campaign for parents and caregivers in coming months . Baltimore Health Commissioner Dr. Joshua Sharfstein headed the push that led to the FDA hearing . He became alarmed when four Baltimore children died after their parents gave them excessive doses of cold medicines . Until those deaths , he did not realize that a dose of cold medicine could turn into a life-and-death issue among young children , he said . E-mail to a friend . | Panel : No evidence that the over-the-counter medicines help young children . More study sought about how cough , cold medicines work in children . About 800 pediatric cough and cold products are sold in the United States . Pediatrics group suggests `` other ways to treat cold symptoms '' | [[0, 26], [56, 108], [253, 333], [597, 672], [1100, 1127], [1130, 1262], [2585, 2658], [3891, 3936], [3901, 3936]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Susie Levitt 's and Katie Shea 's feet had had enough . Walking around Manhattan sidewalks between classes in their high heels was getting unbearable . Katie Shea and Susie Levitt , founders of `` CitiSoles , '' said walking around Manhattan in high heels was painful . Tal Raviv felt frustrated . While studying in Hong Kong in 2007 , he found that adjusting to a new city was hard enough . Even more aggravating was trying to connect with friends on Facebook whose names were common . Jaun Calle and Adam Berlin were bored . Watching college football on television is n't as exciting as being there in person , they thought . Instead of just grinning and bearing it , all of these university students did something : They started their own businesses . Levitt and Shea created `` CitiSoles , '' a shoe company that makes a foldable shoe for when the pain of high heels gets unbearable . Raviv created `` DropCard '' an e-business card that lets users send more contact information than is commonly found on a business card . Calle and Berlin formed `` SEC Excursions '' a travel company that provides busing , tailgate parties and hotel accommodations to college football games . The recession and lack of experience might stop most adults in their tracks , but these students were n't discouraged . `` There is no better time -LSB- to start a business -RSB- , '' said Christopher Hanks , director of the entrepreneurship program at the University of Georgia . `` During a depression or recession , innovation always increases . '' The dorm is the new garage . While the founders of Google built success in their garages , these college students found it in their dorms . In addition to their course work , studying for midterms and balancing extracurricular activities , they wrote business proposals and figured out financing . `` From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. , I am in chemical engineering classes , and from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. , I work on DropCard , so I do n't get much free time , '' said Raviv , 22 . Levitt and Shea said launching their shoe business was essentially nonstop , and the work did n't end on Friday . And for Calle , the compromises in his academic and social life were n't a burden . `` We enjoy ourselves , '' said Calle , 21 . `` We do n't see it as a sacrifice . '' Hanks said these attitudes are typical of student entrepreneurs . They do n't have the pressure of supporting themselves -- their living expenses are usually being paid for -- and they have a wide support system . `` They certainly have their advantages ... their enthusiasm level is really high , '' Hanks said . `` They do n't know what they do n't know . '' Hanks added that the excitement of creating a business revs up the students even more than the chance of getting rich . `` They get excited about ` would n't it be cool if we did that ' versus the money , '' said Hanks . `` The journey is not as much as about the money as about the challenge . '' Figuring it out . None of these students followed a set formula for starting their businesses . Levitt and Shea used Alibaba.com , an online trade portal , to pitch their idea to suppliers and dipped into their savings for start-up money . An investment firm helped Raviv , and Calle and Berlin found investors . Levitt and Shea , both 22 , took `` less than $ 10,000 '' from their savings to start CitiSoles in 2008 . That covered the cost of the shoes and a Web site designer . From there , they worked with suppliers and factories in Asia to scope out which would be the best fit for their company . The pair conducted market research and found nothing similar sold in the United States . `` It was all done online , '' Levitt said . `` We became nocturnal . '' The shoes , made of imitation leather , come with a compact carrying case . A patent for the shoe is pending . When the first order for 1,000 pairs , weighing over 400 pounds , arrived at Shea 's Long Island home unexpectedly , Levitt said they were overwhelmed . A few days later , an article about their company appeared in the New York Daily News , but they were n't ready for the onslaught of orders . They quickly set up a PayPal account . `` From there , we got on the phone to boutiques , sent out retail kits and samples ... and now there are 17 boutiques around the nation selling them , '' said Levitt , who is studying economics and will graduate this fall . Her partner , Shea , double-majored in finance and marketing and graduated in May . Last summer , Raviv , along with two of his friends , applied for funding for their e-business cards with DreamIt Ventures in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . DreamIt is a `` business incubator '' that helps entrepreneurs launch companies . Raviv , who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a chemical engineering degree in May , was honest with the investment firm when it asked how his e-business cards would make money . `` I actually do n't know , '' Raviv told them . `` They said ` Perfect . Thank you . We know there is no possible way to know right now . ' '' Raviv said the lack of a detailed business plan helped DreamIt see how it could assist them . They received $ 20,000 from DreamIt . DropCard initially targeted technology companies but went after `` old-fashioned '' businesses like car dealerships that proved to be more lucrative . DropCard is currently in trials with four companies to see how they can tweak their business plan . Feedback is instrumental in DropCard 's growth . `` We refine everything instead of sitting back and strategizing , '' Raviv said . `` Let our customers write our business plan . '' Calle , a senior at the University of Georgia who is pursuing a degree in business administration , launched SEC Excursions with a mix of investors and help from the Terry College of Business Entrepreneurship Program at UGA . Hanks helped Calle and Berlin in fleshing out their idea and making it potentially profitable . Started in July 2008 , the company found success in a trial trip to Baton Rogue , Louisiana , for the UGA-Louisiana State University matchup . The first trip offered a two-night stay at a hotel , busing to the game and a tailgate party . The packages , which do n't include tickets to the games , vary from $ 100 to $ 300 a person . The company has contracts with bus companies and various hotel chains . It has student reps at four college campuses and plans to add more . Calle said the company 's `` most loyal customers are in the Greek systems , '' but it 's open to all students who wish to purchase a package . `` The students really like it because everything is planned for them , '' Calle said . `` We 've heard nothing but good things . '' | Susie Levitt and Katie Shea created a foldable-shoe company called `` CitiSoles '' Tal Raviv co-founded `` DropCard , '' a new take on the business card . Juan Calle and Adam Berlin created `` SEC Excursions , '' a travel agency . `` There is no better time '' to start a business , an entrepreneur expert says . | [[774, 810], [816, 830], [836, 861], [908, 955], [1046, 1107]] |
PESHAWAR , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As a little girl , Maria Toor Pakay would beat up boys . Maria Toor Pakay has overcome unusual adversity to rank among the world 's top 100 squash players . Now , she dispenses of anyone who takes her on within the walls of a squash court . Pakay , 18 , is Pakistan 's No. 1-ranked women 's squash player . But what makes her story remarkable is that she hails from the country 's tribal region of South Waziristan . The region , along the border with Afghanistan , is home to the Taliban . There , suicide attacks are a way of life . And the militants , bent on imposing a strict form of Islamic law , punish girls who attend school -- let alone play sports . `` They have no future , '' Pakay said . `` They spend their entire lives in four walls in their home . Their ability is destroyed . '' But Pakay was n't like most girls growing up . She sported a buzz cut and mixed with the boys . `` If someone argued with me , I used to beat them up , '' she said . `` I wanted them to obey me all the time . '' Her father , Shams-ul-Qayum Wazir , knew early on that his daughter was different . `` I did n't want her talent to go to waste , '' he said . `` If I would 've kept her in the village , all she could do was housekeeping . '' Watch Pakay talk about her life 's mission '' So , Wazir packed up the family and moved to Peshawar , the capital of the North West Frontier Province . Here , Pakay picked up the racquet and swatted down the competition with ease -- first winning the Under-13 championship , then the Under-15 , then the Under-17 . In squash , players take turns hitting a ball to the front wall of a court , until one misses . Pakay , it turned out , rarely did . `` I thought nobody could beat me , '' she said . `` From the beginning when I played squash , I thought I could be a world champion . '' Today , despite the lack of a sponsor and few resources , Pakay has gone pro -- and is ranked 91st in the world . Her father 's sacrifice , she said , made her success possible . `` I think I have a great father -- so broad-minded , '' she said . For his part , Wazir -- a teacher -- was more circumspect . `` I sacrificed because I want to promote a message of peace , '' he said . `` If the tribal people pick up a racquet instead of a gun , there would be peace . '' | Maria Toor Pakay , 18 , is Pakistan 's No. 1-ranked women 's squash player . She hails from the country 's tribal region of South Waziristan , home to the Taliban . There , militants impose strict Islamic law , punish girls who even attend school . Despite risks , lack of a sponsor , Pakay has gone pro , is ranked 91st in the world . | [[280, 285], [293, 311], [350, 455], [456, 502], [505, 529], [578, 591], [599, 639], [96, 195], [126, 195], [1918, 1923], [1937, 1973]] |
SAN DIEGO , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Many among the thousands of evacuees from California 's wildfires were suffering from stress and worry about their homes after seeking shelter at San Diego 's Qualcomm Stadium , said a pair of Navy medical volunteers Wednesday . Navy medics Daniel Brautigam , left , and Jacob Hackfeld volunteered to help wildfire evacuees . The stadium -- home to the NFL 's Chargers -- at one time housed 11,000 evacuees , but that number dropped to 7,500 this morning . Of the thousands of people who 've been sleeping , eating and passing time at the arena , many are showing symptoms of stress , said Petty Officer Daniel Brautigam . Patients are showing `` a lot of smoke-induced nausea , '' he said . `` A lot of people are watching TV while they 're here -- they 're watching their houses burn . '' Brautigam said the word `` panic '' came to mind to describe how some evacuees were feeling . `` But it 's not . People are just worried sick . That phrase alone explains it all . '' Watch sailors tell more about treating evacuees '' According to the San Diego 's mayor 's office , medical staff treated between 70 to 100 people since the stadium opened to evacuees . He said counselors are being made available to the evacuees at Qualcomm , where volunteers have also been providing food , tents and cots to families and others fleeing the fires . `` We 've been working nonstop now for about 48 hours with a few hours of sleep in between -- just enough to get well-rested , '' said Brautigam . Brautigam and another sailor , Seaman Jacob Hackfeld , stepped forward on their own to offer medical services after their nearby base was evacuated . Hackfeld said he was `` sitting on my couch watching TV and I 'm thinking to myself , why ca n't we come out here ? The community provides for us -- the military . Why ca n't we give back to them all the things that they 've given to us ? '' Although both men said they helped in the aftermath of 2005 's Hurricane Katrina , they said the emergency response to both disasters was markedly different . `` Here you have complete organization , '' Brautigam said . `` You have a community coming together getting things done , helping people out -- cooperation between civilians , military , everybody . See dramatic photos of the disaster '' `` Here everybody comes together , and we 're all just people . I think that 's the most important thing that 's going on right here right now . The main focus is just getting people the help that they need . '' About 300 convalescent patients who had been evacuated to Qualcomm from nearby facilities were expected to be returned later Wednesday , said George Biagi , spokesman for the San Diego mayor . More than 20 fires have scorched 400,000-plus acres from the Mexican border to northern Los Angeles County and inland into the San Bernardino Mountains since the weekend . Statewide , an estimated 950,000 people have sought refuge from the fires in shelters , hotels and at friends ' homes . The National Weather Service said a red-flag warning for extreme gusty winds was in effect through 3 p.m. PT -LRB- 6 p.m. ET -RRB- Wednesday , but forecasters said firefighters should see an end to the Santa Ana winds that have fueled the fires by Thursday . Some residents wo n't have to wait for Thursday to get home . People who evacuated earlier this week from Rancho Bernardo , Scripps Ranch and Del Mar Heights can go home immediately , San Diego emergency spokeswoman Lynda Pfieffer said Wednesday morning . The blazes have killed one person and injured at least 70 more . Thirty-four firefighters have been hurt , authorities said . E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Kiran Chetry and Miriam Falco contributed to this report . | Evacuees at San Diego arena treated for nausea , worried about homes . Medic : `` A lot of people are watching TV here -- watching their homes burn '' Navy medics step forward to offer services to some 12,000 wildfire evacuees . Medics describe conditions at Qualcomm Stadium as organized , cooperative . | [[0, 9], [12, 217], [665, 718], [734, 788], [792, 829], [810, 829], [830, 832], [0, 9], [12, 38], [220, 258], [1529, 1557], [1584, 1638]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When an earthquake threatens to turn part of an ocean into fast-moving walls of water , tsunami warning scientists can do nothing for the first five minutes except wait for information . But within the next five minutes , they have to decide whether to issue a warning of danger . Brian Shiro has been a geophysicist at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center for four years . And you thought your job was high pressure . `` If we see a set of circumstances and it fits into our criteria for -LSB- the -RSB- event , we just follow that criteria because we do n't have much time to think . There is n't a lot of time for decision-making , '' said Paul Whitmore , director of the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center . `` Weighing back there -LSB- in your mind -RSB- also is the effect of your decision . If the effect of your decision is going to evacuate the entire West Coast waterfront , you do n't want to take that lightly , '' he said . With Tuesday 's tragic tsunami that engulfed villages in Samoa and American Samoa , the pace of events was so frenetic that the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach , Hawaii -- which tracks earthquakes and tsunamis for countries throughout the Pacific Ocean , Indian Ocean and Caribbean Sea -- had already been alerted to the looming disaster by the time the seismometer evidence came in . `` The National Weather Service director in American Samoa called the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center a few seconds before the alarms went off here , so we had an advanced warning and we were already sitting at the computer , looking at the data in real time , '' said Brian Shiro , a Pacific warning center geophysicist . It can take 30 seconds to five minutes for information from earthquake sensors placed strategically around the globe to roll into the two U.S. tsunami warning centers . When there 's a clear tsunami threat , the center 's operation room -- built to accommodate the two workers on duty -- becomes flooded with people all jostling to offer assistance . The phone lines consistently ring and `` people are yelling at each other so everyone will be on the same page , and you do n't miss something important that someone else caught , '' said Bill Knight , a West Coast and Alaska warning center scientist . Scientists must `` locate the earthquake and then determine based on the science data whether there should be just a normal bulletin or whether there should be a warning , '' said Laura Kong , director of the International Tsunami Information Center . She added that it took the Pacific warning center 15 minutes to issue a warning for Tuesday 's tsunami . This was n't because the center 's scientists were moving slowly , Shiro said , but a result of the sparse number of seismic stations in the Southwest Pacific region . The fewer stations there are , the longer it takes for scientists to receive adequate information . `` There was no delay yesterday , '' he said . `` You 're only restricted by the earth itself and how fast the seismic waves can travel . '' As a result , workers at the two U.S. warning centers said they often have to make decisions based on incomplete information , erring on the side of caution by issuing a tsunami warning and canceling it later if more monitoring reveals a less dangerous situation . `` It can be a lot of pressure at first , and you have to get used to that , '' Shiro said . `` You do have a lot of responsibility on your shoulders : You have to act quickly and sometimes you have to issue your very first initial message based on incomplete information , because one of the important factors is time and you want to get it out . '' Since the catastrophic Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 , the question of time has become more critical to tsunami warning scientists . The staff has doubled at the Pacific warning center , and when they 're `` on shift , '' they sleep in on-site housing , said spokeswoman Delores Clark . The warning centers have turned into 24/7 operations . Scientist Knight and director Whitmore at the West Coast and Alaska center said constantly being on call does not interrupt their personal lives ; neither of them have kids at home . Shiro , on the other hand , has a 2-year-old son and has to strike a balance . At first , his wife and son stayed with him when he was on shift , sleeping at the on-site housing with him . When that proved too disruptive , his family instead began visiting for meals and a bit of quality time during his weekly two-day shift . The Pacific center 's on-site housing is unique , created so the workers can react to a tsunami whether they 're fixing a meal or fast asleep , and while it may pose a slight inconvenience , it 's all part of the job , Shiro said . The workers , drawn to the position by a mutual love of geophysical science , consider themselves lucky to work in one of the few science fields that allows them to do research while making a difference in people 's lives . Instances such as Tuesday 's tsunami , which killed at least 130 people , provide them with perspective on the importance of their position and the need for more tsunami education . Shiro is encouraging the Pacific center to use social networking as a tool , considering the massive response he got after he tweeted live updates Tuesday . For Knight , it 's getting the word out about what to look for when disaster is imminent . `` One of the reasons we have an outreach program is because we know that people ca n't wait for us to make a decision , '' Knight said . `` If the ground is shaking for more than 20 seconds , you 're experiencing a large earthquake and the more likely it is that a tsunami is going to happen . '' International Tsunami Information Center director Kong , whose work emphasizes the need for better , more local warning systems and education around the globe , agreed . `` It 's especially tragic when you know that a number of us were in American Samoa and Tonga in July talking about tsunamis , telling them that in the worst case scenario they would only have 10 to 20 minutes and asking them to plan the best they could , '' she said . `` We kind of have a feeling when we 're issuing those messages that something like this might happen , and it 's your worst nightmare when it does come true . It 's not a good feeling the next day when the numbers start to increase , '' she said . `` We ca n't prevent the tsunami from happening ; it 's going to happen . We can only do our best right now and plan beforehand , because when it does happen , there 's just no time . '' | Time is always crucial when you work as a tsunami warning scientist . A warning can be issued anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes after a threat is identified . At the Pacific warning center , workers live on site for two days to monitor data . After the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami , warning centers operate around the clock . | [[3526, 3589], [3592, 3636], [3669, 3800], [210, 238], [241, 299], [2539, 2643], [2554, 2643], [4382, 4413], [4416, 4519], [3669, 3800], [3955, 4009]] |
-LRB- PopSci.com -RRB- -- Until last December , no one had ever seen the bottom of the Tasman Fracture , a trench that drops more than four kilometers below the surface of the ocean . A group of Australian and American researchers recently spent a month hundreds of kilometers southwest of the Tasmanian coast , exploring the fracture 's depths . This funnel-shaped sea squirt , never before seen , will snap shut like a Venus flytrap around shrimp that are unfortunate enough to go near it . Jess Adkins , a professor at Caltech and one of the project 's lead scientists , remembers sitting in his control room and watching the underwater life on his monitors with a sense of awe . Once , he says , none of the scientists or pilots said a word for 10 minutes straight as their submersible glided over an undiscovered coral reef full of urchins and sponges and sea stars . The researchers explored the fracture with Jason , a remotely-operated submersible the size of a small car . On loan from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute , it carried a high-definition camera that weighed more than 500 pounds and beamed underwater video up to the ship through a long fiber-optic tether . At 3,000 meters below sea level , the crew saw thousands of sea spiders . At 3,500 , millions of specimens of a new , purple-spotted sea anemone . At 4,000 meters , a single never-before-seen carnivorous sea squirt with a funnel-shaped body that snapped shut like a Venus flytrap around any shrimp unfortunate enough to brush against it . Back on land , the three new species -LRB- the anemone , the sea squirt , and a new kind of barnacle -RRB- have drawn the most attention , but it 's the team 's coral collection , some 10,000 pieces of it , that can tell us about the history of our climate and , perhaps , its future . A coral skeleton acts as a tape recorder of its environment . As it grows , the coral 's chemical structure -LRB- specifically the weight of its oxygen molecules -RRB- varies depending on the temperature of the water around it . And , because the coral 's uranium decays into thorium over time , it is conveniently datable . By charting different corals ' ages and oxygen weights , researchers can map the ocean 's changing temperature . During the coming months , expedition scientists will compare 40,000 years of oceanic and atmospheric records . The ocean 's temperature and carbon dioxide levels are important because of their impact on our atmosphere . The watery part of the world absorbs and stores sixty times more CO2 than the atmosphere . Huge reservoirs of the ocean 's CO2 lurk in its coldest , densest waters -LRB- found in the Tasman Fracture and off Greenland -RRB- . Because cold water releases more CO2 into the air than warm water , the rate at which bottom water rises to the surface has a profound effect on the atmosphere above . Until recently , we had assumed that our climate was relatively stable . After all , for the past 10,000 years -- during which we developed the alphabet , electrical wiring , and microchip necessary for this article -- little has changed . But early - '90s research on Greenland 's ice core proved that , over the past 100,000 years , climate stability has been the exception , not the norm . During the last glacial period , global temperatures fluttered up and down by as much as several degrees in as little as a decade . CO2 levels in the atmosphere changed along with the temperature , though more slowly . The researchers ' ultimate goal is to see if changes in the ocean followed or proceeded changes in the atmosphere . Adkins suspects that the ocean -LRB- and in particular the depths of the ocean -RRB- played a part in triggering the climate 's sudden fluctuations . He 's sure , though , that we 're adding more CO2 to the ocean now , in the form of burning fossil fuels , than it has ever held before . Given how little we know about how the ocean regulates the amount of CO2 in our air -LRB- we 've mapped the surface of Mars , he points out , but not the ocean floor -RRB- he wonders if that 's such a good idea . We do know that increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the ocean makes it more acidic . And whether or not it sets off a climate shift of Pleistocenic proportions , acidification could kill the researchers ' newly-discovered , awe-inspiring reef , along with others we have n't even found yet . There would be just as much ocean to study , but less to find . Copyright © 2009 Popular Science . | Scientists studied the Tasman Fracture , a deep trench in the ocean . They used a remote-controlled machine which sent back video . Discoveries included a new anemone , the sea squirt and a new kind of barnacle . | [[184, 230], [312, 346], [1539, 1660]] |
Editor 's note : Alejandra Lopez-Fernandini is a senior policy analyst in the Asset Building Program at the New America Foundation , a Washington-based think tank that seeks innovative solutions across the political spectrum . Alejandra Lopez-Fernandini says Americans have no choice but to increase the amount they save . WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As the economy slows , millions of Americans will cut their budgets to stay afloat . This generates conflicting impulses : If I skip that morning coffee and granola , will my thriftiness put my local coffee shop out of business ? Will that force America 's granola farmers to lay off workers ? What 's a budget-conscious , patriotic and hungry girl to do ? Not to worry , saving a few dollars now will not prolong the recession . And , more important , spending all your discretionary income will not end the recession . It 's true that John Maynard Keynes ' `` Paradox of Thrift '' suggests that , even while saving is beneficial to an individual , too much aggregate savings could deepen an ordinary recession . But in these extraordinary times , where banks and not just businesses are in desperate need of cash , this economic rule may not fully hold . More important , individuals need savings to be prepared for unanticipated expenses and income losses , especially now . The reality is that there is no bailout coming to you . And those getting the bailout might not be willing to lend to you , anyway . So now is the time to save . The money you save is your own personal safety net , what you tap when you have an unanticipated expense like a car repair or when you 're between jobs , as many Americans find themselves nowadays . The past decade has seen Americans saving at historically low levels ; we 've substituted plastic for the piggy bank . But the days of cheap and easy access to credit have come and gone . We all need to save not because we want to but because we have to . For decades , our country 's economy has flourished , but it relied too heavily on debt-driven consumer spending to power its growth . Excessive household debt , coupled with stagnating incomes and little to no personal savings , now places America in a precarious position . Compared with the 19 other major industrialized economies , the United States ranks dead last for personal savings . That 's right , in 2003 , the United States was the least thrifty nation among the G-20 . Why is it important that we save more as a nation ? Savings offers us the protection we need to make it through hard or uncertain times and to pay for important future needs such as a home , education or adequate retirement . Savings also creates pools of capital for investment purposes -LRB- who will fund the next neighborhood coffee shop ? -RRB- and to keep interest rates low . It appears the current recession has scared us back to saving ; we are no longer spending all of our disposable income . To ensure that the hopeful trend continues , government and employers should adopt a new generation of savings policies that are both innovative and simple . Common sense , along with research from the emerging field of behavioral economics , tells us why we are n't saving more already : . 1 -RRB- We like instant gratification . Whether it 's iPhones or our paychecks , we want everything , and we want it now . We are so short-term-oriented that many of us would rather have a fatter paycheck now than set aside some of that happiness , even if the funds will be greater in the future . 2 -RRB- We tend to procrastinate . Once we start something -LRB- or fail to start something -RRB- , it 's really hard to change course . And we 'd prefer a hassle-free world . Who does n't , right ? When it 's hard just to figure out how to start saving , most people wo n't . However , the flip side is that when it 's easy to start saving , a lot more people will . Think about current retirement savings . How many of us would open an account and make regular deposits if an employer did n't take it right out of our paychecks ? When it comes to savings , we need someone to save us from ourselves . Smart savings policies should be automatic and utilize smart pre-made choices , or defaults . It would require action to NOT save . Of course , this type of policymaking underscores the importance of making the default choice a good one -LRB- an adjustable-rate mortgage with no down payment would be an example of a bad default -RRB- . Employers can easily help their employees save for a rainy day , leveraging the payroll system and direct deposit to automatically send a small percentage of their paychecks to a savings account . This type of unrestricted savings is especially valuable for individuals who have limited liquid assets and who may otherwise be forced to meet emergency cash needs with high-cost payday loans . A truly transformative savings policy to broaden the base of American savers would encourage it from birth with Children 's Savings Accounts . These `` start in life '' accounts would be `` seeded '' up-front with a modest initial deposit -LRB- $ 500 -RRB- , progressively funded for children born into lower-income households and restricted for specific asset-building uses like higher education , purchasing a home or starting a small business . For the economic health of the next generation , the United States should join the U.K. and Singapore , and others who are offering such lifelong savings accounts , and get some skin in the thrift game , too . We know it 's plenty hard to save ; it feels a lot like we 're taking away what we 've rightly earned . Taking advantage of windfall payments such as tax refunds is important , and so is removing the temptation to spend all of that refund . Tax filers can pre-commit a portion of their refund before it reaches their pocket to up to three accounts -LRB- including savings accounts ! -RRB- with IRS Form 8888 . Having accessible savings is critical to our personal and economic security . We must reorient the savings policy discussion to include the needs of shorter-term savers and consider policy that would make savings automatic and universal at birth . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Alejandra Lopez-Fernandini . | Alejandra Lopez-Fernandini : America saves less than nearly all big countries . She says crisis is forcing an increase in savings by American families . Lopez-Fernandini : Government , firms should automatically encourage saving . She says you can designate part of a tax refund to go into a savings account . | [[227, 310], [259, 268], [288, 322], [2935, 3054], [5756, 5895]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Stewart Copeland and Sting get along great . Really . Stewart Copeland 's background includes a wide range of musical influences , many of which emerged in the Police . OK , the Police 's drummer and bassist may have argued from time to time . Perhaps even ferociously . And Copeland finds Sting 's attempts to be a drum arranger annoying . OK , maybe infuriating . But , as he writes in his new book , `` Strange Things Happen '' -LRB- HarperStudio -RRB- , `` We have discovered that we can be good friends -- as long as no one mentions music . '' Besides , Copeland adds in an interview , both Sting and guitarist Andy Summers `` are crap at drums . '' Watch Copeland dish on the band '' Copeland may be best known for the hitmaking musical trio , but he has n't let the Police define him . The son of a CIA officer , he grew up in the Middle East and has let his musical fascinations range widely . He 's written operas and dozens of film and television scores and is currently working on a concerto for the Dallas Symphony . -LRB- He also plays polo . -RRB- . Copeland took some time to talk about his relationship with the Police , the importance of percussion and the social niceties of West L.A. private schools . The following is an edited version of the interview . CNN : The pace of the book makes it seem like you 've been living `` A Hard Day 's Night '' for the last 30 or 35 years . Is it really that busy ? Stewart Copeland : Oh , it 's pretty busy , but if it was n't busy , I 'd be stressed and anxious . In fact , this week I 've got some down time , and I 'm looking at the walls . CNN : It 's been inescapable that people are focusing on the part of the book involving you and your fellow Police members . You say that you have a great relationship with Sting until music gets involved . Copeland : We get along in every way until it comes to music . ... -LSB- But -RSB- both of them are crap at drums , so at least I do n't have that to deal with . CNN : So Sting is not much of a drummer , despite the fact that he has all these ideas . Copeland : Actually , he can play a bit of drums , but he 's much better arranging drums than playing them . And I think I 'd rather have him as a drummer than as an arranger of drums , even though he 's quite brilliant at -LSB- arranging -RSB- . CNN : Has there always been that friction in the band ? Copeland : Yes . With Andy , there 's no friction at all ; we get along great . ... And by the way , he 's not the man in the middle , either . He 's not a mediator . He 's his own little volcano . He 's a very sharp point to the triangle . But this conflict ... when we did the reunion tour , it was like everything was different , but nothing had changed . From the first 16 bars , we were straight back into where we left off . CNN : With the Police , the friction seems -- for lack of a better term -- healthy . Copeland : Well , it 's that musical dichotomy that makes the band what it is . If we did n't have those beautiful , sensitive songs , we 'd be lost . Those beautiful , sensitive songs have an extra kick to them because there 's a madman in the group . CNN : Does the madman change , or is it always Sting ? Copeland : Actually , all three of us have our moments . CNN : You grew up in the Middle East . Do you see any reflections of that in the way you play the drums , in the way you feel the beat ? Copeland : Absolutely . I grew up surrounded by Arabic music . The central element of Arabic music is the baladi rhythm , which is just Arabic for `` country . '' And it has that drop on the three-beat . And it has that use of negative space . And it also has the very ornate use of the 16th notes , which are very expressive in Arabic music . And I suppose those are all factors that show up in the Police . CNN : You mentioned in the book that you put aside the sticks for many years until -LSB- Primus ' -RSB- Les Claypool got you back into it . Copeland : Yes . The Police experience in the studio was so horrendous that my two colleagues actually managed temporarily to convince me that I had no talent and I was a menace to music . And I was distracted by composing . ... I wanted to play with all of those toys , and needed to shake off the rhythm label . And I think I was successful in doing that , to the detriment of my drumming career . CNN : Was picking up the sticks again like riding a bike ? Copeland : Absolutely . The rhythm is still there . The pulse is still strong . The persnickety bits -- the finesse -- that took awhile to come back . CNN : You mention getting together with all-star bands with others -- Gene Simmons , Stephen Stills -- at your son 's school . Is that common in L.A. ? Copeland : Well , in Los Angeles in the west side here , there are three or four schools where all the alpha types send their kids . Between the three schools , we have all of the glitterati . CNN : Do you still find yourself a fan in those situations , seeing musicians you admire ? Copeland : Not really . I 'll get completely filled with fan fervor in listening to the music , but I 've just learned so many times that the person is not the music . ... And also at these schools , everything is extremely downplayed . All of these alpha wives of these luminaries -- and the female luminaries themselves -- all go down to Gap especially to buy their school clothes . No bling , Gap clothing . It 's all extremely dressed down and un-ostentatious . CNN : Is there a favorite or least favorite Police song you do ? Do you get so that you think , `` If I have to play ` Roxanne ' one more time ... '' Copeland : No , I still enjoy playing `` Roxanne . '' ... Some songs are more of a mountain to climb physically , -LSB- like -RSB- `` When the World Is Running Down . '' Andy takes a guitar solo that is so stratospheric , climbs so high and has such power , I get carried away . By the time he 's finished , I am done . And I realize that I 've just burnt every calorie , and I 've got another 45 minutes of set to play . CNN : People do n't realize how physically demanding it is . Copeland : But the thing is , when you 're doing it , you 're hardly aware of it as well , because you 're sustained by 80,000 people freaking out . ... I do n't want to get all metaphysical here or nothin ' , but something definitely happens . You are definitely empowered by the power of that huge audience . ... It pumps you up . | Stewart Copeland writes about his life in new book , `` Strange Things Happen '' Copeland says he and Sting get along fine when music is n't involved . Besides , he says , group 's `` sensitive '' songs helped by `` madman '' in trio . Copeland grew up in Middle East , says rhythms of region part of his roots . | [[0, 15], [19, 63], [391, 419], [477, 564], [2440, 2460], [3048, 3149], [3117, 3149], [839, 868], [3268, 3300]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A jury in Manhattan found the son of Brooke Astor and one of his lawyers guilty Thursday of scheming to bilk millions of dollars from the late philanthropist 's estate . Anthony Marshall was convicted of bilking millions of dollars from the estate of his mother , Brooke Astor . The verdict , returned on the 12th day of deliberation , ended a six-month trial that featured as witnesses a Who 's Who of New York 's social elite . Anthony Marshall showed no visible reaction as he was found guilty of 14 of the 16 counts against him . His wife , Charlene , who many believed fanned his greed and instigated his mistreatment of his elderly mother , also did not seem to react . Marshall was convicted of the most serious charges -- first-degree grand larceny and scheming to defraud . One of the most serious convictions involved Marshall giving himself a $ 1 million-a-year raise for handling his mother 's affairs , said Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann . Marshall 's former lawyer , Francis Morrissey , was convicted of all five counts against him , including forgery and scheming to defraud Astor . Watch Marshall 's attorney vow to appeal '' `` These defendants , two morally depraved individuals , preyed on a physically and mentally ill 101-year-old woman to steal millions of dollars -- dollars that she had intended to go to help the lives of ordinary New Yorkers , '' Seidemann said , echoing his closing argument to the jury . Astor , who had Alzheimer 's disease , was 105 when she died in August 2007 . The prosecution called nearly 70 witnesses -- Henry Kissinger , Graydon Carter , Barbara Walters , Vartan Gregorian and Annette de la Renta among them . Prosecutor Seidemann called the case `` disturbing , '' and said the trial told the story of `` how a son , an only son , would stoop so low to steal from his own mother in the sunset years of her life in order to line his own pockets and the pockets of his wife . '' Marshall , who is free on $ 100,000 bail , faces a maximum 25 years in prison when he is sentenced on December 8 . Morrissey faces up to seven years in prison . Author Meryl Gordon , who has followed the Astor story for years , was in the courtroom when the jury returned its verdicts . `` It was an incredibly bad , intense time , '' she said from her cell phone before hopping on a subway . `` I was a little surprised that Charlene did not get visibly teary . I guess she was braced for it . '' Marshall , Astor 's only child , was indicted on criminal charges in 2006 . The case kicked off a tabloid feeding frenzy that fostered headlines such as `` Bad heir day , '' `` Mrs. Astor 's disaster '' and `` DA 's kick in the Astor . '' Through her late husband 's Vincent Astor Foundation , Brooke Astor is credited with giving New York , where the Astors made their fortune , about $ 200 million . The Astor Foundation gave millions to New York cultural jewels -- including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the New York Public Library -- as well as lower-profile programs . Astor was often quoted as saying , `` Money is like manure ; it 's not worth a thing unless it 's spread around . '' `` Mrs. Astor stood in New York as a symbol of generosity . And this trial stands as a landmark for the nefarious impact of money and greed , '' said her longtime friend , Vartan Gregorian , president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York . `` It will in many ways tarnish her memory , '' he said . `` It 's a sad day , but at the same time , one good thing that will come out of this -- that Mrs. Astor would approve of -- is that the elderly can not be abused . '' The case began when Marshall 's son , Philip , filed a petition in 2006 asking the court to appoint a guardian for his grandmother . The court documents alleged `` elder abuse '' and were intended to remove Anthony Marshall 's control of her affairs and transfer care to Astor 's dear friend Annette de la Renta . He reacted to the verdict in an e-mail : . `` I hope this brings some consolation and closure for the many people , including my grandmother 's loyal staff , caregivers and friends , who helped when she was so vulnerable and so manipulated , '' Philip Marshall wrote . `` I sincerely hope these sad circumstances contribute to the recognition of elder abuse and exploitation as a growing national problem . '' CNN 's Ann O'Neill contributed to this story . | Anthony Marshall faces up to 25 years in prison . Marshall swindled millions from mother in her declining years . Prosecution witnesses included the cream of New York society . Astor 's foundation gave $ 200 million to New York ; she died at 105 . | [[1964, 1972], [2007, 2078], [99, 188], [189, 280], [1696, 1716], [1756, 1906], [298, 309], [355, 448], [1543, 1695], [1465, 1470], [1504, 1542], [2864, 3041]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Obama administration announced this week it is sending hundreds of federal agents and crime-fighting equipment to the Mexican border to try to make sure violence from Mexican drug cartels does n't spill over into the U.S. Author John Gibler says the `` war on drugs '' approach with Mexico policy has been an absolute failure . John Gibler , author of `` Mexico Unconquered : Chronicles of Power and Revolt , '' appeared Friday on CNN 's `` American Morning '' to talk about U.S. border security efforts . Following is a transcript of his conversation with CNN 's John Roberts : John Roberts : You spent so much time along the border area there , going back and forth . The last three years , you 've been down there pretty intensely . What is the situation like ? John Gibler : Right now , in Ciudad Juarez , as you probably know , more than 7,500 army soldiers have arrived in the city and actually taken over the municipal police force . And that has obviously dampened the amount of incredible violence related to drug trafficking in the city , but fears on the ground are that simply the warring cartels packed up and left town for the time being or -LSB- have -RSB- gone underground while the army is out in the streets , and that they will be back . Meanwhile , the army is doing all of the municipal police force jobs , so they 're effectively writing traffic tickets and driving around in cop cars . Roberts : All right , so you know that earlier this week , Janet Napolitano , the secretary of homeland security , announced this $ 700 million program , put more border agents and more -LSB- Drug Enforcement Administration -RSB- agents on the border along with some high-tech surveillance equipment to try to combat the war on drugs there . How effective do you think that plan will be ? Gibler : Sadly , I do not think it will be effective . We 're talking about a $ 30 billion a year industry just moving the drugs across the border . That is way too powerful for three more helicopters or 400 more border agents to really try and address . I think it is a deeply embedded social and economic problem that will have to be addressed with social and economic policy . Watch Gibler give his views on U.S. security efforts '' Roberts : So the president has reserved this idea of putting some troops down on the border there . I know that Gov. Rick Perry in Texas says that he wants to put 1,000 along the border . However , there in El Paso , where you are this morning , the mayor says , `` Whoa , we do n't need any troops . Things are great here . '' Who 's right ? Gibler : Well , really , the mayor is right in a sense . If you look at 2008 , 1,600 people were assassinated in Ciudad Juarez , and there were about 15 homicides that same year in El Paso . So , this whole idea of the violence spilling over is really , I think , kind of malformed or a bit sensationalizing the violence in Mexico , which is very real but the violence already exists in the United States , even though there is n't a national kind of political understanding or consciousness , if you will , about how that violence is related to drug trafficking and drug distribution . amFIX : Can the US win the war on drugs ? Roberts : You know , we had Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron earlier this week . And he was talking about this idea of legalizing all drugs as a way to combat the drug war there in Mexico . What do you think of that idea ? Gibler : I think it 's time to consider all options , and I think it 's evident -- more than evident that the `` war on drugs '' approach has been an absolute failure . It has n't in any way stopped the amount of drugs being consumed in the United States or the drugs flowing over the border or the violence related to the illegal drug-trafficking industry . ... It 's not that radical of a proposal . Even The Economist magazine led with an editorial about a week and a half ago about legislating or regulating drugs . Three former presidents of Latin American countries , Brazil , Colombia and Mexico , recently released a report arguing also for really taking on the debate of legalization . | Mexico 's huge drug industry is too powerful for U.S. border efforts , John Gibler says . Author says social , economic policies are needed to battle Mexico 's drug problems . It 's time to consider legalizing drugs , Gibler says . | [[2084, 2200]] |
NEW DELHI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Indian tourism authorities will be holding English classes for auto-rickshaw drivers in New Delhi as the city prepares to host the Commonwealth Games in 2010 . Auto-rickshaw drivers are being taught English ahead of the Commenwealth Games . More than 40,000 natural gas-fueled auto-rickshaws , or motorized three-wheeled taxis , run on the Indian capital 's dilapidated roads , according to the city government statistics . The city is expected to host around 100,000 tourists during the Commonwealth Games scheduled from October 3-14 in 2010 . About 9,000 athletes and officials of 52 Commonwealth countries are likely to participate . Some 8,000 auto-rickshaw drivers will be enrolled in the training program that will involve classes in yoga , life skills , first aid , spoken English and psychometric tests , federal Tourism Secretary Sujit Banerjee announced Tuesday . Each trainee will be paid Rs 200 , or about $ 4 , daily for attending the program spread over 200 sessions for a year . Indian auto-rickshaw drivers have often been accused of overcharging , refusing short trips and misbehavior . Traffic authorities have in the past opened a range of avenues for passengers to lodge their complaints -- such as on help lines , via text messages or simply calling a telephone number printed on the three-wheeled cabs . `` The India image that we strive to convey to a foreign tourist depends , to a large degree , on how good the taxi/auto-rickshaw -LRB- driver -RRB- that he or she meets is in his demeanor and conduct , '' Banerjee remarked . | More than 40,000 auto-rickshaws ply roads of Indian capital . City expected to host 100,000 tourists during Commonwealth Games . 8,000 auto-rickshaw drivers will be enrolled in training program . | [[278, 363], [366, 412], [278, 363], [415, 460], [461, 553], [461, 469], [482, 571], [674, 747]] |
MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Described as `` an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane , '' Hurricane Bill was churning closer to the Atlantic island of Bermuda on Wednesday , forecasters said . Most forecast maps show Hurricane Bill passing to the west of Bermuda . Although Bill is not expected to make a direct hit on the island , forecasters cautioned that the storm is large and will generate large swells on Bermuda as well as the islands of the northeast Caribbean Sea over the next day or two . Swells may also affect the eastern United States on Friday and Saturday , the National Hurricane Center said . CNN meteorologists said Bill could cause cause dangerous rip tides and some coastal flooding in the northeast United States and could move very close to or make landfall in Newfoundland , Canada , early next week . In addition , Bill may strengthen further over the next couple of days , forecasters said . As of 5 p.m. ET , Bill 's center was about 335 miles northeast of the Leeward Islands and about 970 miles south-southeast of Bermuda , the hurricane center said . `` It 's a little too early to evaluate what kind of direct impact Bill may have , '' said Jack Bevin , a senior hurricane specialist . `` Most of the computer guidance has the storm passing between Bermuda and the U.S. coastline , then turning northeastward . '' Other models show Bill turning more sharply out to sea and not affecting any areas , he said . Bill 's maximum sustained winds were at 135 mph Wednesday afternoon . It was moving northwest at near 20 mph and was expected to continue that motion over the next day or so , turning north-northwest by late Friday . Five-day forecast maps show Bill passing to the west of Bermuda before turning to the northwest . `` Bill is a large tropical cyclone , '' the National Hurricane Center said . Hurricane-force winds extended up to 85 miles from its center , with tropical storm-force winds extending up to 230 miles out . CNN Radio 's Andrew Spencer and Lee Garen contributed to this report . | Storm is not expected to make a direct hit on Bermuda . But island , eastern United States could see large swells . Category 4 hurricane 's maximum sustained winds are at 135 mph . | [[284, 339], [342, 510], [511, 582], [622, 791], [1451, 1520]] |
KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A suicide car bombing exploded outside the NATO headquarters in Afghanistan early Saturday , killing seven people and injuring 91 just five days before the country holds presidential elections , an Interior Ministry spokesman said . A car burns after the suicide blast outside NATO 's Afghanistan headquarters . The massive bomb detonated near the main gate of NATO 's International Security Assistance Force -LRB- ISAF -RRB- headquarters . Among the wounded were several coalition service members , according to ISAF . The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack , an ISAF spokesman told CNN . Afghan President Hamid Karzai , the front-runner in the polls , condemned the bombing . `` The enemies of Afghanistan , through such attacks in the run-up to the elections , want to spread terror among people , but they must know that Afghans are fully aware of the value of the elections and will cast their votes for the sake of security and peace in their country , '' Karzai said in a statement . But Ferishta , 21 , who like many Afghans gives out only her first name , was deterred . `` After seeing today 's events , I have no intention in voting , '' she said , wearing a blood-soaked shirt and connected to an intravenous drip . `` If we are not at peace , why should we vote , who should we vote for ? '' One witness at the scene told CNN the explosion left a huge crater and damaged a coalition forces ' vehicle . Billowing smoke rose over the city . `` The sound was like a very loud door banging right next to my ear , '' said CNN 's National Security Analyst Peter Bergen . Watch Bergen describe blast . The attack occurred at 8:30 in the morning as people were heading to work and was particularly disturbing given the beefed-up security in Kabul ahead of the August 20 presidential and provincial elections , only the second since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 . The area around the ISAF headquarters is heavily fortified with concrete blast barriers and extra security forces . Watch more on Saturday 's explosion '' Security has been a key concern as Afghans prepare to go to the polls next week . The Taliban has vowed to disrupt the voting . `` This will make people living in Kabul perhaps think twice about going out in the next few days , '' Bergen said . Earlier this week , Richard Holbrooke , the U.S. State Department 's special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan , said the Afghan elections were critical to quelling a resurgence of the Taliban . `` Holding an election in a wartime situation is always difficult , '' Holbrooke said . `` Holding one when the enemy has said they 're going to try to disrupt it makes it even more difficult . '' Despite Saturday 's attack , ISAF spokesman Lt. Col. Todd Vician told CNN that NATO-led forces in Afghanistan remain confident the elections will be credible . `` There is a very robust security system in place , '' he said . This summer has been the bloodiest in Afghanistan since 2001 , particularly in troubled Helmand province in southern Afghanistan . U.S. , British and Afghan troops there have been fighting Taliban militants to help provide protection for the upcoming elections . Watch more on Afghan preparations for elections '' Kabul , however , had experienced relative calm in recent months . The last such attack in the Afghan capital was in January when a suicide bomb exploded near the German embassy . The Taliban also claimed responsibility for that incident . CNN 's Atia Abawi and Hugh Williams contributed to this report . | NEW : At least 7 people killed , 90 hurt from blast in Afghanistan 's capital . Explosion took place near NATO headquarters , U.S. Embassy . Taliban claims responsibility for explosion . Blast takes place just five days before presidential elections . | [[8, 35], [132, 231], [61, 129], [559, 612], [3454, 3465], [3471, 3513], [8, 35], [132, 231]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jury selection began Monday in Kentucky for the trial of a former high school coach charged with reckless homicide in the heat-exhaustion-related death of a player . Pleasure Ridge Park football coach Jason Stinson has pleaded not guilty to reckless homicide . A grand jury in January charged Pleasure Ridge Park football coach Jason Stinson in the death of Max Gilpin , 15 , who collapsed during a practice in August 2008 and died several days later . Stinson pleaded not guilty and was released without bail . The school has reassigned him to non-teaching duties . The case has stirred strong feelings beyond the Louisville suburb where Gilpin died . Some say the teen 's death was a tragic accident ; others insist it was the result of a criminal act . `` The best example I can give you is like someone shooting into a building not knowing anyone is in there , then killing somebody , '' Commonwealth 's Attorney R. David Stengel told CNN affiliate WHAS in January . `` They did n't know they were in there , but they should have known that shooting into a building where people normally are is something dangerous . '' Current and former students reacted with shock to the indictment of Stinson , a beloved coach and teacher . `` Coach is amazing , '' former player Casey Ford told WLKY earlier this year . `` Coach truly cares about his players . '' Stengel said investigators interviewed almost 100 players , eight coaches , school officials and bystanders before the grand jury convened earlier this year . A summary of the interviews was provided to the grand jury . The grand jury denied Stinson 's request to give testimony . Questions surrounding the case include what school officials did before and after the high school sophomore collapsed . Craig Webb , the school 's athletic director , said in a deposition obtained by WLKY that he witnessed the incident and went over to assess Gilpin 's condition . `` He was breathing , '' Webb said during the deposition , WLKY reported . `` You know , he had a pulse . And we -- I automatically thought we might have had an exhaustion situation . He was sweating profusely . '' Gilpin 's body temperature reached 107 degrees , officials say . Witnesses said Stinson had denied the student water on the hot August day , WLKY reported . Gilpin was taken to a hospital where he later died . The parents have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against six coaches at the school . The suit claims they were negligent in their actions and that more than 20 minutes passed between the time Gilpin collapsed and the time one of the coaches called paramedics , according to WHAS . Stinson is the only person who has been charged with a crime . Days after he was charged , Stinson told supporters , who had gathered on his lawn to pray , that his `` heart is broken . '' `` Part of my life has been taken away , '' he said , according to WHAS . `` I no longer teach , and I no longer coach at the school that I love . ... `` The one thing people keep forgetting in this is that I lost one of my boys that day , '' he said . `` It was a boy that I loved and a boy that I cared for and a boy that meant the world to me . That 's the thing that people forget . And that 's a burden I will carry with me for the rest of my life . '' Gilpin 's parents have released a statement saying they hope they will gain access to details of the investigation , including information they believe school officials have withheld from them citing confidentiality , the affiliate said . `` We intend to closely monitor the prosecution and expect anyone responsible for Max 's death to be held accountable , '' the statement said , according to WHAS . | Former high school coach is charged with reckless homicide . Player Max Gilpin , 15 , died of heat exhaustion . Player 's body temperature hit 107 degrees at August '08 practice . | [[76, 184], [280, 346], [361, 387], [76, 184], [377, 392], [399, 441], [2153, 2199], [2218, 2291]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man distraught because he could not find work shot and killed his mother-in-law , his wife and three sons and then killed himself inside a home in an upscale San Fernando Valley neighborhood , police said . Police say Karthik Rajaram left suicide notes taking responsibility for the murders of his family . Authorities said the man had an MBA in finance but appeared to have been unemployed for several months and had worked for major accounting firms , such as Price Waterhouse . The two-story rented home is in a gated community in Porter Ranch , about 20 miles northwest of Los Angeles . The shootings were discovered after 8:20 a.m. Monday , after a neighbor called police to report that the wife had failed to pick her up to take her to her job at a pharmacy , Deputy Chief of Police Michel Moore said . Ed Winter , assistant chief from the Los Angeles County Coroner 's Office , identified the suspect as Karthik Rajaram , 45 . Winter said the victims included Rajaram 's mother-in-law , Indra Ramasesham , 69 , and his 19-year-old son Krishna Rajaram , a Fulbright Scholar and honor student at UCLA . Watch police remove body from home '' Also dead were Rajaram 's wife , 39 , Subasari Rajaram , and their two other sons , 12 and 7 . Some of the victims had been shot more than once , and their identities were not immediately confirmed , he said . `` Due to the nature of their injuries , it 's been a little difficult , '' Winter said , adding that there were no signs of a struggle . Police first found the mother-in-law shot in her bed in a downstairs bedroom , Moore said . Upstairs , the couple 's eldest son was shot in the master bedroom ; the wife in another bedroom with a gunshot wound to the head ; the two younger sons in the bedroom they shared , both shot in the head . The 12-year-old was on the floor and the 7-year-old in bed , Moore said . Watch more on what police had to say about tragedy '' The suspect was also in that bedroom , a gun still in his hand . The killings are thought to have occurred after 6 p.m. Saturday , when the man was last reported seen , Moore said . Inside the house , police also found three letters , one to law enforcement acknowledging responsibility for the killings , a second to friends and relatives and a third that appears to be the suspect 's will , Moore said . `` He attests to some financial difficulties , and he takes responsibility for the taking of the lives of his family members and himself as a result of those financial difficulties , '' Moore said . Neighbors , family and friends told police that the suspect , who had not worked for several months , had said in recent days he was having had extreme financial difficulties , Moore said . One of the letters , intended for friends and marked `` personal and confidential , '' detailed his financial transactions that resulted in `` an unfortunate , downward spiral , '' Moore said . `` His narrative is one of talking about this tragedy befalling him and his contemplation of an available exit or solution , '' Moore said . `` One is taking his own life and the other is taking the lives of his family and himself . ... He talked himself into the second strategy , believing that was , in effect , the honorable thing to do . '' Moore said the several-page narrative appeared to have been written over a period of time . `` This was something that was not a spur-of-the-moment type of event , '' he said . Moore said it was clear to police that the family members were close and `` had an affection for each other . '' He said the parents had given up their master bedroom to their eldest -- who was spending the weekend home from college -- `` out of respect . '' `` This is a perfect American family behind me that has absolutely been destroyed , apparently because of a man who just got stuck in a rabbit hole , if you will , of absolute despair , somehow working his way into believing this to be an acceptable exit . '' No neighbors reported having heard gunshots , and there was no sign of forced entry at the house , Moore said . Rajaram was involved in a financial holding company as part owner `` at least , '' Moore said . There is no evidence he had had any history of mental difficulties , nor was there an indication he had sought counseling , Moore said . Neighbor Trish Harrison , who lives three houses from the crime scene , said the family had lived in the community for about a year , but kept to themselves and had little interaction with neighbors . The parents were from India , she said . The Los Angeles Unified School District was making arrangements for crisis counselors to visit the schools attended by the two younger sons . CNN 's Stan Wilson contributed to this report . | One of man 's three sons was Fulbright Scholar and honor student at UCLA . Officer speaks of man `` who just got stuck in ... absolute despair '' Father had MBA in finance but seemed to have been unemployed for months . Police : Man left three letters , including one taking responsibility for shootings . | [[353, 399], [353, 364], [404, 455], [2571, 2580], [2583, 2696], [2167, 2173], [2179, 2198]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Space shuttle Discovery is set to launch next week on a mission to the international space station , NASA 's Flight Readiness Review team said Wednesday . The space shuttle Discovery is brought by crawler to its pad at Cape Canaveral , Florida , on August 4 . Launch is scheduled for 1:36 a.m. ET Tuesday , NASA said . However , launches often are delayed because of inclement weather or technical concerns . Discovery will carry a crew of seven astronauts as it ferries equipment to the space station . One of the astronauts , Nicole Stott , will remain on the space station as a flight engineer , replacing astronaut Timothy Kopra , who will return home aboard Discovery as a mission specialist , according to the NASA Web page for the mission . Discovery will also be carrying the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill -LRB- COLBERT -RRB- to the space station . The treadmill is named for fake newsman Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central 's `` The Colbert Report . '' Earlier this year , NASA conducted an online poll to name the space station 's newest compartment , asking voters to choose one of four given options or offer their own suggestion . Colbert urged his viewers to suggest `` Colbert , '' which won . But Colbert and the space agency compromised to give the moniker to the treadmill instead . The new module was given the name Tranquility . `` I 'm so proud my treadmill will be going into space to help trim down those famously fat astronauts . Lay off the Tang , Chubby ! '' Colbert said in a statement . The mission will be Discovery 's 37th to space , and the 30th shuttle mission dedicated to assembly and maintenance of the space station , NASA says . | NASA : Discovery slated to lift off Tuesday on mission to international space station . Shuttle will carry a crew of seven , ferry equipment to the space station . Astronaut Nicole Stott will remain on the space station as a flight engineer . Shuttle to deliver treadmill named after comedian Stephen Colbert . | [[19, 117], [19, 117], [428, 481], [479, 522], [767, 909], [523, 544], [554, 615], [767, 909], [910, 988]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Classes resumed last Thursday at the University of Kansas at Lawrence , and by Monday 47 students had swine flu , a college official said . The CDC recommends someone sick with the virus remain out of class for 24 hours after fever has abated on its own . Although that 's less than two-tenths of 1 percent of the 27,000-member student body , and no one has died or been hospitalized , the school has moved into action . `` The sanitizer 's out , '' said Todd Cohen , director of university relations . The university sent e-mails to faculty members asking them to create contingency plans so that sick students are not required to go to class , and to commuter students and their parents warning them that the students may have to be isolated if they fall ill . That same message has gone to students in dormitories . Arrangements are being made to isolate anyone who 's sick in their rooms by moving out their roommates and dropping off meals , Cohen said . None of the school 's cases of swine flu -- also called H1N1 -- has proven fatal or resulted in a hospitalization , he said , and none of the reported cases has been confirmed . Public health officials are simply assuming that anyone with flu symptoms has swine flu , because it 's the only form of the virus in circulation , he said . The school 's health center can do little for those who show up for help . `` They 're basically told to go home and rest and get better , '' Cohen said . Vaccines are unlikely to help much this year . Supplies are not expected until late October , and require some five weeks from the first inoculation -- two are required -- before they become effective . `` By then , it 's December and the semester is almost over , '' he said . So public health officials are focusing on more basic medical efforts . Students already overloaded with information at the start of the semester are being urged to sneeze into their sleeves , wash their hands frequently and stay home if they get sick , Cohen said . `` It really comes down to them taking personal action , '' he said . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends someone sick with the virus remain out of class for 24 hours after fever has abated on its own . Firm figures on just how many people have the illness are tough to come by . Doctors are not required to report it to state or federal health officials , said Maggie Thompson , a spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment . `` We 've stopped accepting tests from county health departments , '' she said . Instead , the department is focusing on a surveillance system that will test only those sites deemed representative . Otherwise , Thompson said , the state 's laboratories would become overwhelmed . `` There are just too many numbers . '' The state stopped counting laboratory-confirmed cases at 324 : `` But that is just a fraction of what we think is going on , '' she said . `` There could be as many as 10,000 cases in Kansas already . '' KU students are not the only ones catching swine flu , Thompson said : `` If you called any university of this size around the country it 's probably going to be about the same . '' At Auburn University in Alabama , 10 cases have been reported among the 24,000 students who started classes last Monday , a spokeswoman said . `` So far , everybody seems to be recovering , '' said Deedie Dowdle . The school 's emergency management team was meeting this week to decide how to handle larger-scale absences , she said . `` I 'm getting lots of reports of outbreaks in the Southeast Conference , '' said Dr. James Turner , president of the American College Health Association . `` I 'm anticipating several thousand cases among college students this fall . '' Among the preparations are plans for mass vaccinations , he said . But with school just beginning , much remains unknown , he said . `` We are just kind of hunkering down right now waiting to see where this goes . '' Turner is also executive director for student health at the University of Virginia , where classes are slated to begin Tuesday . `` We 're kind of bracing for what the week brings , '' he said . Turner said 63 students came down with swine flu during the summer session , and `` they all did fine . '' Last week , the CDC released tips for school administrators to follow . `` We 're hoping we 're on track to be ahead of this virus , to get the college-age population vaccinated once it becomes available in mid-October , and to keep students as safe and secure as possible , '' Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told reporters in a conference call . Some U.S. colleges began reporting cases last April , after students returned from spring break . The University of Notre Dame in South Bend , Indiana , which reported one case of H1N1 last spring , is taking extra precautions ahead of the fall semester . `` We are attacking the disease , from each person taking the responsibility for good hygiene and healthy habits , '' said Ann Kleva , the university 's director of health services . The University of California has been stocking up on supplies for each of its 10 campuses over the past several months , university system officials said . Since mid-April , when swine flu was discovered , the CDC has tallied 522 deaths in the nation . `` We do know that H1N1 flu is circulating in the country right now , '' said Lisa Barrios , of the agency 's division of adolescent and school health . `` For the most part , it 's sporadic and regional . '' But she said the agency is not advising any schools to close . `` What we 're doing is keeping a very close eye on what 's happening with the flu during the fall and the winter , '' she said . The swine flu virus has captured the attention of public health experts because they worry it could mutate into a far more lethal form . `` If that does happen , then we may recommend that schools close , but right now we are not doing that , '' Barrios said . `` It 's important to balance the risks with the benefits of keeping kids in schools . '' CNN 's Emily Sherman , Leslie Wade , Miriam Falco and Elizabeth Cohen contributed to this article . | Five days into new year , U. of Kansas at Lawrence has 47 cases of swine flu . No one has died or been hospitalized because of the illness . Last week , the CDC released tips for school administrators to follow . Universities and colleges across the country are bracing for swine flu spike . | [[95, 130], [362, 381], [366, 372], [385, 402], [4284, 4293], [4296, 4355]] |
To : Interested Parties From : John King Re : Monday Memo . Egyptain President Hosni Mubarak will visit the White House on Tuesday . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Health care remains , without a doubt , President Obama 's top priority , though the week ahead will bring more of a public focus on international and security issues . One key dynamic to keep an eye on is the reaction among leading House Democrats to the latest indication the White House is prepared to accept a health care bill that lacks a robust `` public '' or government insurance option . `` Not the essential element , '' is how Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius described the public option to us on CNN 's `` State of the Union '' on Sunday . . `` Very difficult , '' is how veteran House Democrat Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas told us when asked how hard of a sell a health care bill absent a robust public option would be in among House Democrats . This might be a good time for Obama and former President Clinton to swap notes about 1993-94 . Out of the box on Monday in Phoenix , Arizona , Obama addresses the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention . It 's a platform to share his views on the escalation of the U.S. commitment in Afghanistan just as U.S. forces begin to quicken their pace of withdrawal from Iraq . Back in Washington on Tuesday , a White House meeting with longtime Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will turn attention to the Middle East , where the administration and traditional Arab allies such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia are unhappy with the lack of discernible movement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict . And Thursday 's national elections in Afghanistan will keep a spotlight on the international stage and the uncertainties facing the Obama administration . It 's safe to say the White House has profound worries about President Hamid Karzai 's commitment to fight corruption and lead aggressively , but it 's also safe to say the White House expectation is another Karzai term . The market closed down at the end of last week because of doubts the worst was over . This week offers a few interesting tests : . • Earnings reports on tap from companies that offer key glimpses of consumer spending -- among them Home Depot , Lowe 's Target and Hewlett-Packard . • The Labor Department 's Producer Price Index is released on Tuesday , along with Commerce Department figures on new housing starts . • And the report on economic leading indicators comes Thursday morning . And , finally , a few political notes for the week ahead : . • Fred Thompson and Bill Clinton will be lighting birthday candles on Wednesday . • Southern governors gather in Williamsburg , Virginia , with the economy and health care topping the agenda . • Mike Huckabee 's political action committee gathers this week , through a series of house parties . | On Monday , President Obama will have chance to discuss Afghanistan at speech . On Thursday , Afghanistan 's elections will keep trouble nation on forefront . On Tuesday , Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will visit the White House . On health care this week , watch how House Democrats react to latest moves . | [[1624, 1744], [60, 132], [1342, 1449]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- More than two dozen times in the past three years , authorities came to Phillip and Nancy Garrido 's ramshackle home at 1554 Walnut Ave. in Antioch , California , a rural property where Jaycee Dugard is said to have been confined for 18 years . Jaycee Dugard was locked in a shed tucked under a blue tarp in her alleged captor 's backyard . And each time , they left without learning of the secret shed where Dugard lived . The Garridos have pleaded not guilty to charges of abduction and forcible rape . They are being held without bail in the Contra Costa County Jail in Martinez , California . After she was abducted in June 1991 , at age 11 , Dugard 's disappearance spawned a massive search that continued , on and off , for almost two decades . Federal agents remained committed to the case , chasing thousands of leads . But they apparently never had the Garridos on their radar . The case of the missing girl evoked deep emotions that rippled across the South Lake Tahoe community . Strangers threw fundraisers and parades to raise money for search efforts . Friends and neighbors wore T-shirts bearing images of Dugard 's smiling face to give the case exposure . Elementary school students toted signs that encouraged the community to stay committed to the hunt for their classmate . All they wanted was to find little Jaycee Lee Dugard . And for some of that time , authorities were visiting the home of the couple now accused of abducting her . Watch an FBI agent talk about why clues were missed '' Interviews with public officials show that parole officers , law enforcement officials and firefighters visited the Garrido household but left without realizing that the kidnapped girl had grown to adulthood and was living in a soundproof shed hidden in the backyard . Two Dozen Contacts . There were at least 16 visits from parole officers and seven by the fire department . There was also one by the sheriff 's office responding to an allegation that people were living in the backyard . State and local authorities have now begun internal investigations to find out why none of these visits uncovered the existence of Dugard , now 29 , and her children , Starlet , 15 , and Angel , 11 . Their makeshift home of tents , tarps and sheds was tucked behind a 6-foot wall at the rear of the Garrido property . `` I feel confident the sheriff will use this as an example of how to do things better , '' said Federal Glover , a district supervisor for Contra Costa County who also heads the community 's public safety committee . `` From this lesson , we will not have this type of missed opportunity occur again . '' One of the first red flags authorities might have caught was in 1993 , two years after the kidnapping . Garrido , who had been released from prison after serving 11 years for a 1976 kidnapping , violated his parole in April 1993 . It is unclear what he did or how the violation was flagged . As a result , he was placed in federal prison for one month and then released on house arrest for three months . He returned to the Antioch home , where he lived with his wife and his elderly mother . Violation Was n't Reported to Nevada . But the parole violation was never reported to the state of Nevada , where the first kidnapping and rape had occurred , said Gail Powell , a spokeswoman for the Nevada Department of Public Safety . `` The state of Nevada would have taken some action , '' Powell said . `` I do n't know what , but some action could have meant putting him back in prison , pulling him off parole . '' In 1999 , the California Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections agreed to take responsibility and authority for supervising Garrido 's parole because he resided in that state . Garrido 's most recent parole agent visited the home at least twice a month since December , according to California corrections officials . Sometimes the visits were unannounced , said Gordon Hinkle , a department spokesman . Parole officers also checked on Garrido frequently before 2008 , Hinkle said , but he did not know how often or how many parole officers visited Garrido 's residence . The parole agent who most recently entered Garrido 's backyard did n't notice any children 's toys or items to indicate that minors were living in the house . The agent saw a shed but assumed it belonged to a neighbor . `` There was a deceptive false impression , '' Hinkle said . `` If you were to be on the property walking around , you would have seen a big fence . '' Parole Officers Carry Big Caseloads . Hinkle said the parole officer performed his duties appropriately . The parole officer was also responsible for raising suspicions when two University of California Berkeley officers notified him that Phillip Garrido came in with his `` daughters . '' The parole officer called the Garridos in for questioning . California has one of the highest parolee-to-officer ratios in the country . State budget cuts are expected to strain the department this year , which could mean reducing the number of parole officers , Hinkle said . The officer assigned to supervise Garrido was also responsible for 39 other sex offenders . As recently as June , two months before Dugard was discovered with the Garridos , Contra Costa County firefighters responded to a fire on the property . They doused a car engine that had exploded into flames at the rear of the property , said department spokeswoman Emily Hopkins . They spent two hours there and then left . They also visited Garrido 's property in fall 2007 , after a neighbor reported fire coming from the backyard . In addition , they responded twice in 2008 and three times in 2009 to medical emergencies involving Garrido 's elderly mother , Patricia Franzen . Fire department officials were n't sure whether more visits were made to the home , because computerized records date only to 2006 . Neighbors Steered Clear . Neighbors who had encounters with Garrido said they did n't take the time to get to know him . Some said they knew that he was a sex offender , so they steered away from his house . Others ignored him because they thought he was strange . Betty Unpingco invited the entire neighborhood to her son 's graduation party in spring 2006 . She said Garrido attended and brought speakers for the party . When Unpingco and several adults noticed him talking to the high school girls , they asked him to leave . Later that night , she said , when they saw him waiting outside his home to speak to the girls , the adults escorted them home . Feeling uneasy after the party , Unpingco checked the sex offender registry and found Garrido 's picture . `` It was just so bizarre , '' said Unpingco , who has 10 children . `` I warned my children to stay away from him and to always walk in twos . '' She did not notify police . In November 2006 , another neighbor did call police , saying she saw people living in tents behind the Garridos ' house . Contra Costa County Sheriff Warren E. Rupf said he did n't think the deputy who responded knew at the time that Garrido was a sex offender . The deputy spoke to Garrido in his front yard about the allegations , but Garrido convinced him otherwise . | Officials visited Garrido home more than two dozen times in past three years . Phillip Garrido 's parole officer checked up on him at least twice a month . Garrido violated parole in 1993 , but offense was n't reported to all the right agencies . | [[71, 143], [1367, 1392], [1395, 1443], [1573, 1663], [3969, 3984], [3990, 4031], [5493, 5497], [5503, 5543], [1820, 1905], [3742, 3832], [3969, 3984], [3990, 4031], [2748, 2755], [2839, 2874], [3137, 3163], [3180, 3242], [6796, 6823]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The State Department on Monday continued to publicly downplay the threat North Korea presents to the United States with spokesman P.J. Crowley telling reporters North Korea `` represents an infinitesimal threat to the United States directly . '' A North Korean soldier looks at the South Korean side of the demilitarized zone earlier this month . The spokesman 's statement followed comments from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in an interview with ABC , broadcast Monday , in which she said the reason for the United States ' low-key reaction to North Korea 's recent missile test was that the United States was n't `` going to give the North Koreans the satisfaction they were looking for , which was to elevate them to center stage . '' In that interview , Clinton said North Korea has a `` constant demand for attention , '' and she added , `` maybe it 's the mother in me , the experience I 've had with small children and teenagers and people who are demanding attention : Do n't give it to them . '' After calling the direct threat to the U.S. `` infinitesimal , '' Crowley went on to say that `` North Korea , and its provocative actions , does represent a significant threat to the region and its actions recently have been unhelpful and potentially destabilizing . '' A senior U.S. official , who did not want to be identified , said there is a `` theoretical '' question of whether a North Korean missile could hit the United States . `` There 's nothing in their recent development , '' he said , `` which would suggest that their technology is becoming more accurate . '' The United States says its primary concerns about North Korea 's actions are its impact on security in the region and the risk of nuclear proliferation . Last week the United Nations imposed sanctions on a number of individuals , companies and goods connected with North Korea 's nuclear and missile programs . Taking aim at several key North Korean officials , it subjected them to a freeze on their assets and an international travel ban . | State Department spokesman : Recent actions `` potentially destabilizing '' to region . Secretary of State Clinton : North Korea has `` constant demand for attention '' That is why U.S. had low-key reaction to missile tests , Clinton says . | [[1156, 1247], [1232, 1308], [1619, 1772], [1642, 1772], [377, 461], [774, 791], [794, 876], [976, 982], [987, 1010], [377, 461], [483, 486], [517, 615]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Palestinians on Tuesday urged the United Nations to `` punish '' Israel as a scathing U.N. report accused the nation of war crimes during its military offensive in Gaza last winter . A Palestinian boy kicks a football outside damaged homes in northern Gaza in January 2009 . But Israel rejected the investigation as one-sided and shameful . The report accused Israel of committing `` actions amounting to war crimes , possibly crimes against humanity '' during its military incursion into Gaza from December 27 to January 18 . Richard Goldstone , the South African judge who headed the U.N. investigation into the conflict , demanded that someone be held responsible for crimes committed during it . `` The lack of accountability for war crimes and possible crimes against humanity has reached a crisis point , '' Goldstone said Tuesday . `` This is the time of action . '' He formally presented the report to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva , Switzerland on Tuesday . It claims that the Israeli Defense Forces `` failed to take feasible precautions required by international law to avoid or minimize loss of civilian life , injury to civilians and damage to civilian objects . '' Ibrahim Khraishi , the Palestinian Authority 's ambassador to the United Nations , called the report professional and unbiased . `` This report should not be another report to just document and archive , '' said Khraishi . `` My people will not forgive this council if they let these criminals go unpunished . '' But Israel 's ambassador to the United Nations , Aharon Leshno-Yaar , questioned the report in strong language Tuesday , calling it one-sided and shameful . `` This report is based on carefully picked incidents , cherry-picked for political effect , '' Leshno-Yaar said . `` The authors of this fact-finding report had little thought about finding facts . '' Israel did not cooperate in the U.N. investigation , calling it flawed and biased . There is an ongoing dispute about the number of people killed in the three-week military offensive which Israel called Operation Cast Lead . The Gaza-based Palestinian Center for Human Rights put the death toll at 1,419 and said that 1,167 of those were `` non-combatants . '' The Israeli military released its own figures earlier this year , claiming 1,166 people were killed and that 60 percent of those were `` terror operatives . '' A separate report released earlier this month by Israeli human rights organization B'tselem put the death toll at 1,387 , claiming that more than half of those killed were civilians . Israel has said it `` had both a right and an obligation to take military action against Hamas in Gaza to stop Hamas ' almost incessant rocket and mortar attacks upon thousands of Israeli civilians and its other acts of terrorism . '' Hamas is the militant Palestinian movement which governs Gaza . It rejects Israel 's right to exist . The U.N. report said Israel fired the chemical agent white phosphorus in civilian areas , intentionally fired upon hospitals using high-explosive artillery shells , and failed to provide effective warnings to civilians or U.N. workers before attacks , all of which can be war crimes . It also claims that Israel used Palestinian civilians as human shields and deliberately attacked Palestinian food supplies in Gaza . The report recommends that the U.N. Security Council require the government of Israel to launch appropriate independent investigations into the findings of the report within three months . The findings also recommend that the alleged Israeli war crimes be explored by the International Criminal Court . Israel has launched a number of its own investigations into the conflict . The findings also call on Palestinian leadership to investigate alleged war crimes , for militants to respect humanitarian law , and for the release of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit , who was kidnapped by Palestinian militants in 2006 , on humanitarian grounds . Representatives from Russia , Cuba and Egypt applauded the Goldstone report . The U.S. representative to the U.N. Human Rights Council , Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner , said some of the recommendations in the report were `` deeply flawed '' and called for Israel and Palestinian authorities to be allowed to finish conducting their own investigations before passing judgment . A spokeswoman for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said the Human Rights Council could draft a resolution on the issue by Friday . The group that prepared the report is called the U.N. Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict . Its 500-plus page report was released earlier this month and presented formally on Tuesday . CNN 's Kevin Flower contributed to this report . | U.N. group presents scathing report on Israel 's conduct during Gaza offensive . Palestinians urge U.N. to address alleged crimes ; Israel condemns report . Report accuses Israel of `` actions amounting to war crimes '' during offensive . Report finds Palestinian militants also committed war crimes . | [[0, 15], [43, 201], [3718, 3730], [3736, 3800], [0, 15], [43, 201], [360, 410], [401, 434], [3529, 3541], [3547, 3642]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Mississippi schoolteacher was sentenced to life without parole Wednesday for shooting and stabbing to death her lover 's pregnant fiancee in 2006 . Carla Hughes met the victim 's fiance at the middle school where she was a teacher . The same jury that convicted Carla Hughes of two counts of murder Tuesday for the death of Avis Banks spared her life , declining to impose the death penalty . Mississippi is among the states that consider murdering a pregnant woman to be taking two lives . Madison County District Attorney Michael Guest asked the panel of nine women and three men to sentence Hughes to death based on the gruesome nature of Banks ' murder . Banks , 27 , was found lying in a pool of blood on November 29 , 2006 , in the garage of the Ridgeland home she shared with Keyon Pittman , the father of her unborn child . She was five months pregnant . She had been shot four times in the leg , chest and head , and then stabbed multiple times in the face and neck as she lay dying , according to medical testimony . Prosecutors alleged that Hughes killed Banks so she could have Pittman , a colleague at Chastain Middle School in Jackson , to herself . `` She took Avis Banks ' life and the life of her unborn child because she wanted that life , '' the prosecutor said . The jury deliberated Wednesday for about an hour to decide on the sentence after hearing emotional testimony from seven defense witnesses , including her parents . `` Carla has been a kind , loving person all her life , '' said Carl Hughes , who adopted his daughter when she was 6 weeks old . `` I 'm not asking you , I 'm pleading with you , to spare my daughter 's life , '' said Hughes , who is also a teacher . He said that the person portrayed by prosecutors as a cold-blooded killer was completely different from the accomplished honors student , equestrian and beauty pageant contestant that he knew and loved . Hughes ' pastor and friends also took the stand to describe her work mentoring youths , volunteering at church and at the school where she met the victim 's husband . Suspicion initially fell on Pittman , who admitted to having an affair with Hughes , a language arts teacher . A key prosecution witness , Pittman told the jury he began seeing Hughes one month after finding out his girlfriend was pregnant . He testified that the two met frequently in Hughes ' home and even went out of town together , but he insisted the relationship was based solely on sex . Throughout the trial , defense lawyers maintained her innocence and attempted to cast blame on Pittman , portraying him as a womanizer seeking to avoid the burden of fatherhood . Prosecutors alleged the murder weapons connected Hughes to the crime . The defendant 's cousin testified that he lent her a knife and a loaded .38 caliber revolver the weekend before Banks ' death . Ballistics tests matched the bullets from Banks ' body to the gun , which Hughes returned unloaded to her cousin after her first interview with police . None of Banks ' relatives testified at the sentencing . Instead , the jury heard from a forensic pathologist , who described the nature of Banks ' injuries . Madison County Deputy District Attorney John Emfinger urged the jury to look past Hughes ' prior achievements and focus on the crime in rendering its sentence . `` In my mind , this overshadows everything else she 's done in life . She took the lives of two people in that garage , '' he said in his closing argument Wednesday . `` When that door opened , -LRB- Avis Banks -RRB- was not met by a beauty pageant winner , she was not met by a member of the mayor 's youth council , she was not met by a peacemaker . ... She was met by a stone-cold killer , '' he said . In Session 's Jean Casarez contributed to this report . | Same jury that convicted Carla Hughes of murder declines to impose death penalty . Prosecutors said gruesome nature of crime warranted death sentence . Avis Banks was five months pregnant when she was shot , stabbed multiple times . Prosecutors alleged Hughes killed rival so she could be with Keyon Pittman . | [[254, 371], [254, 355], [374, 413], [512, 630], [625, 679], [853, 883], [884, 887], [947, 1012], [1048, 1118]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A key Senate negotiator said Sunday that President Obama should drop his push for a government-funded public health insurance option because the Senate will never pass it . President Obama at a town hall meeting earlier this week pushing his health care reform plan . Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota said it was futile to continue to `` chase that rabbit '' due to the lack of 60 Senate votes needed to overcome a filibuster . `` The fact of the matter is there are not the votes in the United States Senate for a public option . There never have been , '' Conrad said on `` Fox News Sunday . '' His comment signaled a shift in the health care debate , with Obama and senior advisers softening their support for a public option by saying final form of the legislation is less important than the principle of affordable coverage available to all . At a town hall meeting Saturday in Colorado , Obama said the public option is just one of many issues critical to successfully overhauling the ailing health care system . `` All I 'm saying is ... that the public option , whether we have it or we do n't have it , is not the entirety of health care reform . This is just one sliver of it , '' the president said . Asked Sunday if Obama would accept a bill lacking a public option , White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the president insists on more competition in the health insurance marketplace to offer consumers better choices . `` The bottom line ... is : Do individuals looking for health insurance in the private market have choice and competition ? '' Gibbs said on the CBS program `` Face the Nation . '' `` If we have that , the president will be satisfied . '' Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius echoed Gibbs , telling CNN 's `` State of the Union '' on Sunday that a final health care bill will include competitive choices for consumers in one form or another . `` There will be a competitor to private insurers , '' she said . `` You do n't turn over the whole new marketplace to private insurance companies and trust them to do the right thing . We need some choices and we need some competition . '' Opponents of overhauling the health care system argue the Democratic proposals under consideration by Congress go too far and will lead to a government takeover of the health care system . `` We have the best health care system in the world , '' Republican Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama told `` Fox News Sunday . '' `` We need to expand it . We do not need to destroy it . '' At issue is how to provide coverage for an estimated 46 million uninsured people while reversing a climb in health care costs . Democratic proposals passed so far by House and Senate committees include a public insurance option , mandates for people to be insured and employers to provide coverage , and an end to insurance companies refusing to cover pre-existing conditions . Most Republicans oppose the public option and requirements for employers to provide coverage . They also call for limits on medical malpractice lawsuits -- something Democrats generally do n't favor . However , the two parties generally agree on a number of provisions contained in the Democratic bills , including increased efficiency in Medicare and Medicaid and focusing on preventive health programs . Conrad is one of six Senate Finance Committee members -- three Democrats and three Republicans -- who are negotiating a compromise health care bill that would be the only bipartisan proposal so far . Instead of a public option , the negotiators are considering a plan proposed by Conrad to create nonprofit health insurance cooperatives that could negotiate coverage as a collective for their members . Conrad said such cooperatives would provide the competition sought by Obama and Democratic leaders to force private insurers to hold down costs and improve practices . The government would put up initial funding to provide required reserves but would have no other role , he said . `` It 's not a public plan at all in terms of government running it , '' Conrad said . Shelby called the cooperative idea a `` step in the right direction '' and `` a far cry '' from other proposals , adding that Obama and Democratic leaders have `` read the tea leaves '' from town hall meetings around the country . However , Democratic Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas told CNN it would be `` very , very difficult '' to support a bill that lacked a public health insurance option . `` Without the public option , we 'll have the same number of people uninsured , '' Johnson said in a `` State of the Union '' interview . `` If the insurance companies wanted to insure these people now , they 'd be insured . '' She added that `` an option that would give the private insurance companies a little competition '' is `` the only way '' to be sure that insurance is available to low-income people and people without employer-provided coverage . Meanwhile , leaders of organizations representing America 's doctors and senior citizens defended the proposed health care overhaul that their groups had opposed in past years . Dr. J. James Rohack , president of the American Medical Association , and John Rother of AARP -- formerly the American Association of Retired Persons -- told `` Fox News Sunday '' a comprehensive overhaul sought by Democrats was necessary . `` There are some moving parts that if you just do one and do n't do the other , you 're going to have unintended consequences , '' said Rohack , head of the nation 's largest doctors ' advocacy group . Rother , executive vice president of policy and strategy for the largest senior citizens ' advocacy group , said properly addressing excessive health care costs and waste requires addressing both health insurance coverage and how health care treatment is delivered . Both men rejected accusations that a health care overhaul would bring rationing of health treatment based on bureaucratic measures such as cost and economic productivity of patients . `` There 's a myth that rationing does n't occur right now , '' Rohack said , noting that some companies currently deny coverage for pregnancy as a pre-existing condition . `` That 's why this bill is so important , '' Rohack said . `` It gets rid of rationing happening right now '' and leaves decisions to patients and doctors . Rohack also condemned claims by some Republicans that a provision in one House bill would lead to so-called `` death panels '' encouraging euthanasia of senior citizens . `` That 's absolutely wrong , it 's a falsehood , '' he said , adding that the provision was intended to provide government support for consultations between patients and their doctors . Spreading of the `` death panel '' rumor by some conservative commentators and some Republican politicians prompted emotional opposition at town hall meetings across the country . Senate negotiators on a compromise bill say they have dropped the provision from their proposal due to potential misinterpretation of the intent . | Democratic senator from North Dakota : Not enough votes to filibuster . Sen. Kent Conrad : President Obama should not `` chase that rabbit '' Conrad , working on bipartisan proposal , suggests nonprofit insurance co-ops . Obama has been campaigning for a government-backed health care option . | [[298, 434], [0, 26], [30, 162], [3566, 3673], [3617, 3739], [0, 26], [30, 162]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Serving a 36-year-old government-issue cake at an Army retirement ceremony sounds like a classic bureaucratic mistake , but there was no mistake about it . Retiring Army Col. Henry Moak uses a vintage P-38 to break the seal on government cake saved since 1973 . Retiring Army Col. Henry Moak served it up himself -- at his own ceremony . Moak had saved the cake since 1973 , when he got it while serving in Vietnam , and had long-standing plans to open it upon his retirement . Pound cake served in a can was standard fare in military C rations back then . Moak said it was his favorite , and he could not get enough of it . `` I would eat it any chance I could get , but not all of the meals came with pound cake , '' he said before opening it . In front of friends and family who attended his retirement ceremony Friday at the Pentagon , Moak eagerly opened the can . Answering the question of whether the anticipation was the same now as back then , Moak said , `` Yes , even more ! '' `` I wo n't eat it if it 's black and moldy , '' he told onlookers . `` You can hear the pop of the air coming out , '' he said referring to the vacuum seal on the can . To most people 's surprise , the opened can revealed a still-edible yellow cake . The ceremonial sword used to cut Moak 's real retirement cake was also used to dig into the can and cut out the cake . Moak took a bite and put up his thumb , `` It 's good , it 's still kind of moist , '' he declared . | Retiring Army Col. Henry Moak treats himself to pound cake saved from 1973 . Moak says he always liked the cake and `` would eat it any chance I could get '' He saved the C ration goodie to have alongside traditional retirement cake . | [[186, 204], [292, 310], [368, 402], [587, 616], [658, 695]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Kate Gosselin last appeared on Larry King Live on May 10 . A little more than a month later , on June 22 , she and her husband Jon filed for divorce and announced their split that same day in a special edition of their show . Kate Gosselin says she and her kids would like to continue their TV show , but admits it will be up to the network . Gosselin returned to Larry King Live on Tuesday to discuss her sextuplets , the future of her show and how she feels about Jon . The following is an edited version of the interview : . Larry King : How much do they know about what 's going on ? The 9-year-olds probably do , right ? Kate Gosselin : They understand the process . They 're working through it , the same that Jon and I are . They 're doing remarkably well . This has opened up a lot of discussions between them and myself . A lot of questions come my way , and we 're dealing with it . They 're doing very well considering . Watch Gosselin discuss the split '' King : Why did you agree to do this reality show in the first place ? Gosselin : In the very beginning , we started filming a one-hour special . It was a way to document what was happening in our lives . At that time , there was a lot of local news stories . There were a lot of people in the country and the world , believe it or not , pulling for us . As you know , sextuplets are not born every day , so there was a lot of interest . We did the one-hour special to show everyone . I always pictured like the little old lady that was sitting at home who was praying for us , rooting for us and needing to know what happened to those babies that were born . So we did it for that reason as well as to collect the memories for ourselves . King : Why did you agree to do a regular reality show ? You could have said that 's the special , here 's my life , goodbye . Gosselin : I could have . At that point , the one-hour special was a very good experience . The network , TLC , we were on Discovery Health at that time . Now , TLC is wonderful , supportive , and it was a great experience for us . So we , you know , really moved forward because of that reason . It was healthy and safe and fun . King : Do the kids talk to you about divorce ? Gosselin : They do . And as any child , you know , when their parents are divorcing , the goal is peace and we 've achieved that numerous times . The Fourth of July we spent together as a family . My goal is , no matter what the circumstance , no matter what place , you know , one of us is in , my goal is really peace and the best that it can be for the kids . King : Do they get counseling ? Gosselin : We have not started that process , but I feel like it is a very normal thing to do . And absolutely , when the time is right . King : Jon is quoted in the new `` Us Weekly '' : `` I wish I had a 9 to 5 job instead of the nightmare I 'm living . This is 24/7 . I do n't even want to do taping the show anymore . '' What 's your reaction to that ? Gosselin : Jon 's opinions and his goals are his . I know that , personally , for myself and the kids , this has been a good experience . It continues to be a good experience . And , you know , really the network has been extremely supportive , above and beyond , I feel , what they need to be . And I only experience good things . Everyone works . Everyone has a job . Everyone has what they 're dealing with . And , generally speaking , this is the most flexible , workable , wonderful job for myself . King : How long have you been doing it now ? Gosselin : We are in season 5 . We started filming in August of 2005 . King : Why is it such a good thing to have a private life public ? Gosselin : It 's been a source of huge -- for whatever reason -- inspiration for a lot of people . Many , many people -- many parents feel that their decisions are , maybe not , great decisions . Every parent has that , you know , parent guilt of my goal is to produce wonderful , productive individuals and put them out into society . That is the goal of a parent -- for us to show the world that we are not perfect , life is unpredictable , but life always goes on and there 's always , always , always something to look forward to . And for me , that is raising my children to the best of my ability . King : But as an intelligent person , you also know to all good things , there are downsides . Gosselin : Absolutely . With every positive , there is a negative across the board in life . It 's about choosing to see the positive and working with the negative . King : So what happens now ? Are you and the kids going to do the show and Jon is out ? Gosselin : I 'm not the person to make that decision . I know that myself and the kids will continue the show . King : But if Jon says I do n't want to do it anymore , I do n't want to be part of it , I 'm divorced , I do n't need this , will the network say it 's you and the kids ? Gosselin : That would be a question for the network . King : Will the name of the show change ? Gosselin : That would be a question for the network . King : And if they said forget it , that would be OK with you ? If they said we 'll continue , that 's OK with you ? Gosselin : That will be their decision . King : You 've become famous worldwide over this . What 's the downside of that ? Gosselin : You know , I could really live without the following . King : Attention ? Gosselin : Yes . I could live my whole life -- I would have to say that is absolutely the negative . I realize it comes with it . I know that it goes along with it . I 'm smart enough to figure out that , you know , there 's interest . It 's going to be interest across the board . It 's another learning lesson . King : You and Jon renewed your marriage vows a year ago this month in Hawaii . What happened ? How do you go from renewing vows to filing for divorce in a year ? Gosselin : It is a question I ask myself every day . I do n't have the answer . King : But -LRB- Jon -RRB- made this decision ? Gosselin : You know , it 's just an issue that we discussed amongst ourselves . I do n't feel like that is something that we need to discuss the details of . King : Yes , but when you get so famous , you and him and the kids , and then you leave out those details , do n't you disappoint the audience that 's come to expect more ? Gosselin : My main concern is my kids . And I do n't want them to see or hear anything on TV that I did n't discuss with them . And we discussed what they need to know at their developmental age groups . But I do n't feel like I need to go any further than that at this time . | Kate Gosselin says sextuplets are doing well despite parents ' breakup . Gosselin says she does n't know what led to split with husband Jon . Gosselin wants to continue TV show , but says it 's network 's decision . | [[245, 317], [245, 258], [324, 361], [4917, 4961], [5013, 5057], [5184, 5215]] |
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