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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Temple Grandin sees her autism as a gift , not a disability . The professor at Colorado State University , who has become a prominent animal rights activist , spoke at the recent TED Conference in California about how people 's brains work in different ways -- and how that 's something that should be appreciated , not stigmatized . Grandin , for instance , thinks in pictures , `` like Google for images , '' she said . She also grabs hold of details , a brain function she feels could help politicians . `` I get satisfaction out of seeing stuff that makes real change in the real world , '' she said . `` We need a lot more of that and a lot less abstract stuff . '' Video : Watch Grandin 's talk at the TED Conference . One of her biggest real-world accomplishments , she said , was when a mother recently told her that her autistic child had gone to college because of Grandin 's inspiration . Grandin 's life also is the subject of a new HBO film , in which she 's played by actress Claire Danes . | Temple Grandin is a professor at Colorado State University who is autistic . She sees autism as a gift , not a disability . Grandin : My mind works `` like Google for images '' Grandin is the subject of an HBO film starring Claire Danes . | [[81, 123], [178, 226], [19, 80], [353, 360], [378, 396], [919, 934], [940, 972], [958, 972], [984, 997], [958, 972], [984, 987], [991, 1023]] |
Vancouver , British Columbia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The tragic death of a trainer at Sea World last week revived a number of long simmering questions . While we still grapple with `` how did this happen ? '' the central question for many revolves around the role of large mammals -- like Tilikum the killer whale -- in zoos and aquariums : Should they be there or not ? Animals in zoos , aquariums and museums play an important and powerful part in our cultural and formal educational processes . Humans are inherently interested in nature . We are not very far removed from a time when being knowledgeable about nature was vital to life ; you either knew how to find your dinner or you were dinner . Today , with well over 50 percent of our populations living in cities , we are rapidly becoming divorced from the realities of the animal world . The dialogue we see in the media , read on blogs and hear in conversation makes it clear that many people have lots of ideas about what 's happening in our natural world , much of it not correct . This lack of knowledge is concerning in a world beset by environmental problems , where species are disappearing at an alarming rate . We need people to understand the changes taking place in our natural systems and appreciate that each of our actions has an impact . More interest and knowledge , not less , is essential . Zoos and aquariums provide access and a vital connection to the world of wildlife and our environment , helping to foster an understanding of nature and how it works , and an appreciation for why it matters . Most professionally operated zoos and aquariums , such as those accredited by the Canadian or American Associations of Zoos and Aquariums , are dedicated to increasing engagement and raising awareness and participation in conservation issues . They conduct active programs that aid species survival , research and conservation , both at their public display facilities and in the field . The Vancouver Aquarium has operated our Marine Mammal Rescue -LRB- MMR -RRB- program since the mid 1960s . Each year , hundreds of marine mammals are rescued from situations of distress and rehabilitated by our dedicated team of staff and volunteers , led by our veterinarian . Their goal is to return marine mammals to good health so they can be released back to the ocean . The Vancouver Aquarium has not had killer whales on exhibit since 2001 . However , our orca research continues in the field with experts working off the British Columbia coast to observe and study social interaction , behaviors , migrations , and feeding patterns . We do have beluga whales , including two calves born recently . Belugas are ideally suited to an aquarium environment . The calves ' births have allowed researchers to study the social structure of a beluga family , and in collaboration with the University of British Columbia we have conducted beluga vocalization studies since 2002 to understand contact calls and other forms of communication between these beautiful and communicative animals . As our visitors see beluga whales and learn about their communication , natural history and the challenges they face due to climate change in the Arctic , a unique chain is created , moving from initial amazement of observing these creatures to the inspiration to care about them and finally to take action , in large or small ways , to protect their future by conserving their natural environment . We see our role as more important now than ever before . The time of simply displaying animals merely as curiosities is , thankfully , over . Our aquarium , and many others like it , represents often the only -- and the best -- opportunity for urbanites -LRB- particularly youth -RRB- to establish a connection with the natural world of animals . Sadly , many of us will never experience the joy and wonder of encountering animals in their natural habitat . But can get learn about them up close and personal in a modern and reputable aquarium or zoo . If you have had the good fortune to spend time in such an institution , and have seen the sense of awe and wonder on the faces of youngsters meeting a sea otter , for example , for the first time , you 'll know what this is all about . What 's more , having access to , and learning about , Tilikum and other whales in aquariums and marine parks since such amazing creatures were first displayed in the mid-1960s , has totally changed people 's perceptions about them . Before then , killer whales were feared , termed `` wolves of the sea '' , and even had a bounty on their heads in some places ; being able to see them personally helped spark people 's curiosity and interest . The resulting change in public perception was dramatic and swift , leading to their protection by the U.S. government in the 1970s under the Marine Mammal Protection Act . Today , most people revere killer whales and understand a great deal more about the challenges this species faces around the world -- with overfishing depleting their food supply , the impacts of climate change and pollution threatening their environment and their ultimate survival . With so many changes confronting nature and the animals that make it their home , human understanding and appreciation is critical . Animals that people are privileged to see in professional zoos , aquariums and similar institutions are vital to engagement , inspiration and conservation . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dr. John Nightingale . | John Nightingale says death of whale trainer raises questions about displaying captive animals . Urbanization make zoos , aquariums vital to education , understanding , he says . Such institutions show why preserving environments is important , he says . Nightingale : Seeing creatures up close makes people more inclined to conservation . | [[1364, 1382], [1468, 1529], [4487, 4493], [4602, 4683]] |
PANAMA CITY , Panama -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A helicopter crashed into a building in Panama City on Thursday , killing 11 of the 12 people aboard , including Chile 's federal police chief , a Panamanian government official said . The incident occurred during the afternoon in a commercial zone of the city as the Panamanian helicopter was carrying several Panamanian police officials and six members of a group from Chile . They had been attending a regional forum in the city of Colon , the official said . Witnesses said a rotor blade hit a three-story building , causing the helicopter to fall in a ball of fire . Several people on the ground were burned , and the building -- which houses a clothing store -- also caught fire . Watch emergency workers at the scene '' It took firefighters hours to control the flames and to keep the blaze from spreading to other buildings . `` The principal problem is the smoke and the toxic gases ; that 's what makes the work more difficult , '' said Cecilio Lasso , one of the firefighters . Chilean police chief Gen. Jose Alejandro Bernales and his wife were among the dead , the official said . A delegation from Chile was expected to arrive late Thursday to help identify the bodies . No cause was immediately identified for the crash . `` It 's an old but well-maintained helicopter , '' said Daniel Delgado Diamante , minister of government and justice . `` It was in good shape . Of course , now there will be a process of validating that . '' The Chilean government has declared three days of mourning . | 11 of 12 people on helicopter were killed , including Chile 's national police chief . Incident occurred during the afternoon in a commercial zone of Panama City . Witnesses said a blade of the rotor hit a three-story building . No cause of the crash was immediately identified . | [[0, 36], [106, 140], [0, 6], [143, 182], [1029, 1111], [225, 300], [40, 103], [503, 583], [1225, 1249], [1261, 1276], [1225, 1233], [1238, 1276]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 7-year-old boy from El Paso , Texas , was gunned down across the border in the violent city of Ciudad Juarez , Mexico , a spokesman for the Chihuahua state attorney general 's office told CNN Tuesday . Raul Xazziel Ramirez had been visiting his father in Juarez on Friday evening when unknown gunmen fired on their vehicle at a roundabout , spokesman Arturo Sandoval said . At least 18 rounds from a 9 mm weapon were shot at the white 2000 Geo Tracker driven by Ramirez 's dad , Sandoval said . The father , Raul Ramirez Alvarado , 35 , died in the driver 's seat . The younger Raul escaped from the vehicle , but was apparently shot in the back , Sandoval said . The boy 's body fell forward in front of the vehicle . The shooting happened just before 8 p.m. Friday . No arrests had been made as of Tuesday , the spokesman said . Raul Xazziel Ramirez was a third-grader at Glen Cove Elementary School in El Paso , Ysleta Independent School District spokeswoman Patricia Ayala told CNN . `` It 's a senseless tragedy that we 're trying to come to terms with , '' she said . According to El Paso County records , Raul was just three weeks shy of his eighth birthday when he was killed . The boy lived with his aunt and uncle in El Paso , Ayala said . It was the first semester that Raul was registered with the district . Raul 's classmates were spared the details of his death , but the school was nonetheless shocked at the boy 's passing . Grief counselors were made available for both students and teachers , Ayala said . More than 2,200 killings have been recorded this year in Ciudad Juarez , out of a population of approximately 1.5 million people . A bloody turf war between warring drug cartels that started last year has made the city one of the most violent in the world . According to statistics from local prosecutors , Ciudad Juarez records about 10 murders a day . The bloodiest month this year has been September , with 476 killings reported . The violence has not spilled over significantly across the border to El Paso , but as Friday 's shooting showed , the pain of one of the sister cities is shared by the other . Because of the ongoing investigation , Sandoval declined to say whether drug cartel activity was suspected in the killings of Raul and his father , but added that at least 90 percent of the city 's homicides are drug-related . Raul was not the youngest victim slain this year . In early 2009 , a 3-year-old girl was killed together with her father inside a vehicle that was targeted , Sandoval said . | NEW : Raul Xazziel Ramirez was just three weeks shy of his eighth birthday , records show . Ramirez was killed Friday along with his father in Ciudad Juarez . The boy managed to escape the vehicle but was shot in the back , police say . More than 2,200 slain this year in Juarez ; Ramirez was not the youngest . | [[1133, 1206], [0, 15], [51, 129], [223, 359], [587, 628], [587, 603], [635, 666], [0, 15], [51, 129], [1546, 1616], [2383, 2433]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A series of spooky lights above parts of the northeastern United States Saturday sparked a flurry of phone calls to authorities and television news stations . NASA said strange lights seen in the Northeast on Saturday were caused by an experimental rocket . CNN affiliate stations from New Jersey to Massachusetts heard from dozens of callers who reported that the lights appeared as a cone shape shining down from the sky . However , the lights were the result of an experimental rocket launch by NASA from the agency 's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia , a spokesman told CNN . Keith Koehler said the Black Brant XII Suborbital Sounding Rocket was launched to study the Earth 's highest clouds . The light came from an artificial noctilucent cloud formed by the exhaust particles of the rocket 's fourth stage about 173 miles high . Natural noctilucent clouds , also called `` polar mesospheric clouds , '' are `` found in the upper atmosphere as spectacular displays that are most easily seen just after sunset , '' according to a NASA statement published earlier in September . `` The clouds are the highest clouds in Earth 's atmosphere , located in the mesosphere around 50 miles altitude . '' Normally , noctilucent clouds are not visible to the naked eye and can only be seen when illuminated by sunlight below the horizon . The launch took place at 7:46 p.m. Saturday , just as the sun was setting for the day . Observation stations on the ground and in satellites will track the artificial noctilucent clouds created by the rocket for months , NASA said . `` Data collected during the experiment will provide insight into the formation , evolution , and properties of noctilucent clouds , which are typically observed naturally at high latitudes . `` In addition to the understanding of noctilucent clouds , scientists will use the experiment to validate and develop simulation models that predict the distribution of dust particles from rocket motors in the upper atmosphere , '' the NASA statement said . CNN 's Greg Morrison contributed to this report . | Dozens in Northeast report seeing cone-shaped lights in sky . NASA says lights came from exhaust particles of research rocket . Black Brant XII rocket will study highest clouds in Earth 's atmosphere . | [[188, 276], [277, 361], [354, 361], [366, 443], [178, 276], [188, 276], [454, 576], [740, 856], [602, 719], [621, 719], [1104, 1163]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` The LHC is back , '' the European Organization for Nuclear Research announced triumphantly Friday , as the world 's largest particle accelerator resumed operation more than a year after an electrical failure shut it down . Restarting the Large Hadron Collider -- the $ 10 billion research tool 's full name -- has been `` a herculean effort , '' CERN 's director for accelerators , Steve Myers , said in a statement announcing the success . Update : First collisions at the LHC on Monday . Experiments at the LHC may help answer fundamental questions such as why Albert Einstein 's theory of relativity -- which describes the world on a large scale -- does n't jibe with quantum mechanics , which deals with matter far too small to see . Physicists established a circulating proton beam in the LHC 's 17-mile tunnel at 10 p.m. -LRB- 4 p.m. ET -RRB- Friday , CERN said , a critical step towards getting results from the accelerator . `` It 's great to see beam circulating in the LHC again , '' said CERN Director General Rolf Heuer . `` We 've still got some way to go before physics can begin , but with this milestone we 're well on the way . '' Located underground on the border of Switzerland and France , the LHC has been inching towards operation since the summer . It reached its operating temperature -- 271 degrees below zero Celsius -- on October 8 and particles were injected on October 23 . Now that a beam is circulating , the next step is low-energy collisions , which should begin in about a week , CERN said . High-energy collisions will follow next year . The collider has been dogged by problems . It made headlines early this month when a bird apparently dropped a `` bit of baguette '' into the accelerator , making the machine shut down . The incident was similar in effect to a standard power cut , said spokeswoman Katie Yurkewicz . Had the machine been going , there would have been no damage , but beams would have been stopped until the machine could be cooled back down to operating temperatures , she said . The collider achieved its first full-circle beam last year on September 10 amid much celebration . But just nine days later , the operation was set back when one of the 25,000 joints that connect magnets in the LHC came loose and the resulting current melted or burned some important components of the machine , Myers said . The faulty joint has a cross-section of a mere two-thirds of an inch by two-thirds of an inch . `` There was certainly frustration and almost sorrow when we had the accident , '' he said . Now , `` people are feeling a lot better because we know we 've done so much work in the last year . '' Mark Wise , professor of physics at the California Institute of Technology , said he 's just as excited about the results that will come out of the LHC as he was last year and views the September 2008 accident as a delay rather than a devastating event . Wise noted that Tevatron , the collider at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois , has also had its share of failures but is generally considered to work just fine . `` It 's a horribly complicated piece of equipment , it 's not like there 's not going to be problems along the way , '' he said . `` They will surmount those problems . '' The LHC will probably be in operation more than 20 years , Myers said . But it wo n't be that long before scientists could potentially discover new properties of nature . The as-yet theoretical Higgs boson , also called `` the God particle '' in popular parlance , could emerge within two or three years , Myers said . Evidence of supersymmetry -- the idea that every particle has a `` super partner '' with similar properties in a quantum dimension -LRB- according to some physics theories , there are hidden dimensions in the universe -RRB- -- could crop up as early as 2010 . For some theoretical physicists such as Wise , finding the Higgs boson and verifying every prediction of the Standard Model of physics would be the worst outcome . He wants the LHC to deliver surprises , even if that means no Higgs . `` When push comes to shove , the name of the game is ` what is nature , ' and we 're not going to know until our experimental colleagues tell us , '' Wise said . ATLAS and CMS are the general-purpose experiments designed to find the Higgs boson and other rare particles that have never been detected before . ALICE , another experiment , will explore the matter that existed some 10 microseconds after the Big Bang , said John Harris , professor of physics at Yale University and national coordinator of ALICE-USA . At that time , there was a `` hot soup '' of particles called quarks and gluons at a temperature of around 2 trillion degrees above absolute zero , he said . Although they have never been directly seen , these particles are theoretically the building blocks of the bigger particles -- protons , neutrons and electrons -- that form the universe as we know it . CNN 's Elizabeth Landau contributed to this report . | LHC restarted more than a year after being shut down by electrical fault . The full scientific program for the LHC wil probably last more than 20 years . The LHC will look for the Higgs boson , quarks , gluons and other small particles . Restarting $ 10B research tool described as `` herculean effort '' | [[125, 201], [208, 237], [3286, 3342], [245, 281], [332, 335], [344, 362]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Judith Boutelle plopped herself down on Wednesday and prayed for a helicopter -- the only way out of town . She 's one of the hundreds of tourists stranded by days of heavy rain near the majestic Incan ruins of Machu Picchu , in the mountains of southern Peru . The rain triggered mudslides that blocked a rail line leading out of a city near the ruins . Authorities have evacuated many by helicopter , but bad weather has posed challenges for them . `` There 's stress , '' Boutelle said by phone to CNN , `` but we 're comfortable . '' She and her husband , Jerry -- 65-year-olds from Petersburg , Illinois -- went to Peru to see the famous ruins . They 've been stuck in a town near the ruins for the last three days , waiting for choppers to whisk them out . News reports say the rain and floods have killed at least seven people in the region , including a tourist from Argentina . An estimated 10,000 people have been affected by the rain and 2,000 homes have been ruined in and around Machu Picchu , authorities said . James Fennell , spokesman of the U.S. Embassy in Lima , told CNN the Peruvians are saying about 2,000 people need to be evacuated from the region . Several hundred tourists have been stranded in Aguas Calientes , a town at the base of popular tourist attraction . There also have been reports of stranded people on the Inca Trail , a popular hiking trail that leads to Machu Picchu . Peru 's Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Martin Perez said Wednesday that the elderly , children and pregnant women have priority for evacuation . He denied reports of preferential treatment for foreigners , saying 103 of 475 tourists evacuated Tuesday were Peruvian . Watch iReport account of Peru flooding . Quoted by state media , Perez said authorities were planning to evacuate 120 tourists an hour but need `` the weather 's help . '' He said authorities could evacuate 840 tourists if they could get seven hours of decent weather . On Wednesday , poor weather threatened the ability of authorities to conduct evacuations , he said , and the forecast calls for rain through Friday . Fennell said some Americans might have left by Peruvian aircraft on Monday and 50 were evacuated by U.S. and Peruvian choppers on Tuesday . He said that as of Wednesday , officials estimate about 200 U.S. citizens were in Aguas Calientes . Fennell said four U.S. government helicopters arrived on Tuesday and two more were expected to help Peru in the evacuation . The Peruvian helicopters can accommodate up to 20 people but the U.S. aircraft carry only five . Peru also is bringing in food and water to the region , Fennell said . `` The evacuation operations were planned to continue today , weather permitting . The embassy is totally focused on getting Americans out , '' he told CNN . `` We 're very grateful for their efforts , '' Fennell said of the Peruvian government . `` We 're totally focused on working with them and getting everybody out quickly and safely . '' The embassy says that the train to and from Cusco and Machu Picchu has been canceled because of landslides , and the roads in and out of Machu Picchu have been closed . One bridge had collapsed and water has covered the other . `` Peruvian authorities are working to open a route out of Machu Picchu , '' the embassy said in a message . Cusco is the closest major city to Machu Picchu . That 's where Pamela Alvarez , 29 , works as a receptionist at the Royal Inka Hotel . She said a Brazilian guest went to Machu Picchu , got stuck there with everyone else and has been unable to come back to the hotel for two days . `` All the people are in the train station , waiting for helicopters so they can get out to go to Cusco , '' she said . Boutelle said she and her tour group visited Machu Picchu on Sunday and stayed overnight on Monday , but she had n't been able to leave since then . She said she and others have been been well-sheltered and well-fed at a hotel , but endured inconveniences . For example , people came to Machu Picchu for the day from their hotels in Cusco without the proper amount of clothing or medication for an extended period . Boutelle said she and her husband are among a handful left from their group , most of whom have been airlifted out . They had hoped to leave on Tuesday after wearily standing in an evacuation line for hours during a chaotic day where people jostled to get on helicopters . But they never made it out and were hopeful that they could leave as soon as possible . `` We hope today , but we 're pessimistic about it , '' she said . `` It 's going to take a long time to evacuate . '' Several people fretted about the predicament . Roberto Rocafort , a 64-year-old tour manager , said officials in the town have n't been prepared to deal with the eventuality and he said conditions resembled a `` war zone '' for many of the people stranded . News reports say people are sleeping on the street , in gyms , schools , trains and tents . Wearing days-old clothing , sleeping outside , and lacking money and access to proper medications add up to an `` alarming , difficult and scary '' situation , Rocafort said . Rocafort said he 's worried food supplies will dwindle greatly in days if help is n't accelerated . `` We need the U.S.A. to help us , '' Rocafort said . Rocafort said that thousands of Argentines enjoying their summertime are in the town . Argentine Consul in Lima Gabriel Volpi said that about 600 Argentine tourists were trapped and that one of them has died . A weather alert has been issued for southern Peru , which has received record rainfall over the past three days , according to the Peruvian national weather service . More rain is expected through Friday , though less than what 's already drenched the region . A state of emergency has been declared in southeastern Peru , which includes Machu Picchu , according to Javier Velasquez , the president of Peru 's Cabinet . Machu Picchu is the ancient Incan city on a mountain in the Andes , standing nearly 8,000 feet -- 2,340 meters -- above sea level in a tropical mountain forest . Known as the `` Lost City of the Incas , '' Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and draws tens of thousands of international tourists every year . CNN 's Claudia Rebaza and Mark Bixler contributed to this report . | NEW : Hundreds of tourists are stranded by days of heavy rain in southeastern Peru . NEW : Some 10,000 people have been affected and 2,000 homes ruined , authorities say . NEW : `` Weather 's help '' needed to speed evacuations , Peruvian official quoted as saying . Mudslides cut train line to ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu . | [[157, 242], [1193, 1255], [1309, 1314], [1320, 1374], [5448, 5489], [5554, 5573], [5580, 5633], [968, 1023], [906, 979], [1765, 1868], [2653, 2735], [2656, 2681], [2695, 2735], [281, 334], [300, 309], [315, 373], [2997, 3165], [3019, 3103]] |
Atlanta , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Health officials on Friday reported a slight decrease in H1N1 flu activity nationwide . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 43 states now have widespread flu activity , compared with 46 states last week and 48 states at the beginning of November . `` It 's still much greater than we would ever see at this time of year , '' Dr. Anne Schuchat , director of the CDC 's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases , said in a news conference . Schuchat added that while some parts of the country are seeing a small decline in flu cases , other areas , including Maine and Hawaii , have seen a bit of a surge . It 's too early to know if the worst is over in terms of the flu season , she said . `` Even though we saw a little bit of a decrease this week , it is still higher than the peak activity in many years , '' she said . Flu season does n't usually start until December . But when the H1N1 virus emerged in April , the spread of the flu never stopped , effectively stretching last year 's flu season into the new one . The CDC also said 21 more deaths from H1N1 in children were reported in the past week , bringing the official toll of confirmed pediatric H1N1 deaths in the United States to 171 . Schuchat said the number does n't reflect the true picture . `` We believe the estimates we provided last week give a better picture of the full toll that the virus has taken in the first six months of the pandemic , '' she said . Last week the CDC reported that it estimated 540 children had died from complications of this flu virus so far . In an effort to limit further spread of the virus as millions of Americans begin traveling for the holidays , the CDC has launched a public awareness campaign . Schuchat urged everyone to take simple precautions . `` Travel only when you are well , '' she told reporters . `` Wash your hands often . ... Cover your cough and sneeze with tissues or with your sleeve . ... And get vaccinated against flu , particularly if you 're in a targeted population . '' Watch why Santa wants a flu shot . More people will be able to get vaccinated , according to the CDC , because more vaccine continues to be available . States have been able to order a total of 54.1 million doses of H1N1 vaccine so far , Schuchat said . `` That number is 11 million doses more than we were at a week ago . '' In response to a report from Norway that a couple of people died from a mutated form of the H1N1 virus , Schuchat said the CDC is aware that the mutated form had been identified , but that H1N1 vaccine and antiviral medications still are effective against H1N1 . Some cases of H1N1 that show resistance to the antiviral Tamiflu have been identified in North Carolina and Wales . But Schuchat said Tamiflu-resistant influenza viruses have been `` quite rare '' so far . Tamiflu does n't cure the flu , but can reduce symptom severity and duration of illness by about a day if taken within the first day or two of getting sick . | 43 states have widespread flu activity compared with 48 at beginning of month . Prevalence still higher than the peak activity in recent years , CDC says . So far , states have been able to order 54.1 million doses , 11 million more than a week ago . CDC cautions against traveling if you 're sick ; suggests getting vaccine , sneezing into sleeve . | [[125, 269], [821, 876], [2225, 2308], [2327, 2371], [1919, 1981], [1986, 2016]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina finally made it official Wednesday : She 's running for Senate in California . The first woman to lead a Fortune 500 company made the announcement at an event in conservative Orange County , pledging that her focus will be on `` economic recovery and fiscal accountability '' `` The decisions made in Washington impact every family and every business , of any size , in America . Throughout my career , I 've brought people together and solved problems , and that is what I plan to do in government : Set aside ego and partisanship and work to develop solutions to our problems , '' she told supporters . `` I will not settle for a jobless recovery , and we must start the important work of getting our financial house back in order , '' Fiorina added . `` Washington must show discipline to cut spending and create policies that encourage and empower businesses and put people back to work . '' Fiorina , considered to be a moderate Republican with little history on social issues , will face off against conservative California Assemblyman Chuck DeVore for the GOP nomination . In a friendly statement Wednesday , DeVore said he looks forward `` to engaging -LSB- her -RSB- on the issues Californians care about . '' A recent Field poll suggested that both Fiorina and DeVore polled at about 20 percent , with 60 percent of Republican voters undecided . The ex-Fortune 500 CEO , who left Hewlett-Packard in 2005 with a severance package estimated to be worth between $ 21.5 million and $ 40 million , is expected to enjoy a significant financial advantage over DeVore , who entered October with just $ 144,000 in the bank . The Fiorina-DeVore matchup has all the makings of another Republican battle between the conservative wing of the party and national leaders seeking the most electable candidate . Fiorina has claimed that the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee is backing her bid , though an NRSC spokesman said no official endorsement has been made . Still , NRSC Chairman John Cornyn pointed to Fiorina in September as an example of a `` strong female candidate '' running as a Republican in 2010 . A string of conservative bloggers have lined up behind DeVore , and South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint said Tuesday that he was backing the assemblyman . The winner of that race will face three-term Sen. Barbara Boxer in November . Boxer 's favorable rating stood at 48 percent in a recent Field poll , a number that gives Republicans hope she is vulnerable against a well-funded opponent . Boxer is known to be a formidable political opponent , but Fiorina said Wednesday that she 's ready for the challenge . `` After chemothereapy , Barbara Boxer just really is n't that scary any more , especially when you know what to expect , '' said Fiorina , who battled breast cancer last spring . `` She has always taken the low road to high office . '' Though spending most of her life outside of politics , Fiorina is no stranger to the campaign trail , having served as one of then-Republican presidential candidate John McCain 's chief surrogates in 2008 . Fiorina was eventually sidelined from that campaign after telling an interviewer that she did n't think either member of the GOP presidential ticket was qualified to run a major company . In an election season in which the state 's economic condition is set to dominate the debate , Fiorina is now the second high-profile former CEO running for statewide office in California . Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman announced last month she is running for governor . National Democrats , meanwhile , appear eager to take on Fiorina , who left Hewlett-Packard five years ago amid controversy . `` The hallmark of Carly Fiorina 's résumé is her tenure at Hewlett-Packard , where she laid off 28,000 Americans while shipping jobs overseas , just before taking a $ 21 million golden parachute , '' National Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman Eric Schultz said . `` Given that record , the United States Senate is the last place Carly Fiorina should go next . '' | Former Hewlett-Packard CEO was first woman to lead Fortune 500 company . She will face off with conservative assemblyman for GOP nomination . Recent poll found 60 percent of state 's Republican voters undecided . Winner will face incumbent Barbara Boxer in November . | [[139, 248], [139, 184], [251, 332], [1416, 1438], [1445, 1473], [956, 963], [1044, 1139], [1279, 1415], [2334, 2411]] |
White Plains , New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik on Thursday pleaded guilty to charges of lying to Bush administration officials who vetted his unsuccessful 2004 nomination to be homeland security secretary . Kerik admitted to eight counts as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors , who are recommending a 27 - to 33-month prison term . U.S. District Judge Stephen Robinson set Kerik 's sentencing for February 18 . In court papers , prosecutors said Kerik denied to a White House official that there was `` any possible concern '' about his relationships with the contractors involved in renovations to his apartment or that he had any financial dealings with prospective city contractors . Kerik , 54 , had been scheduled to go to trial next week on a variety of corruption charges , including allegations that he received and concealed benefits of about $ 255,000 in renovations to his Riverdale , New York , apartment from a company seeking to do business with the city of New York . He pleaded guilty to that charge and several tax-related counts during Thursday morning 's hearing . Robinson said he would take into account Kerik 's life and career , which he said `` included good '' as well as wrongdoing . Kerik put his head in his hands at that point . Kerik has spent the past two weeks in jail after a judge revoked his bail . According to court papers released in late October , he violated the terms of his bail by leaking confidential evidence about his case to a lawyer who published the material online . Kerik served as New York police commissioner from 1998 to 2002 -- a tenure that included the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attack that destroyed the World Trade Center and killed more than 2,700 people . He spent a brief stint in Iraq training the country 's police force after the U.S. invasion in 2003 , and was nominated by President George W. Bush for the post of homeland security secretary in 2004 . However , he withdrew from consideration after allegations surfaced that he employed a nanny whose immigration status was murky . In 2006 , Kerik pleaded guilty to accepting tens of thousands of dollars worth of gifts while he worked as city corrections commissioner , but under a plea agreement he paid $ 221,000 in fines and avoided jail time . His admission dogged the 2008 presidential campaign of his longtime patron , former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani , who said his endorsement of Kerik had been `` a mistake . '' Kerik made an unsuccessful appeal for clemency to Bush in late 2008 , according to court papers released in October . CNN 's Mary Snow and Julian Cummings contributed to this report . | Prosecutors recommend 27 - to 33-month sentence for Bernard Kerik . Former NYPD commissioner to be sentenced on February 18 . Kerik had been scheduled to go on trial next week on several corruption charges . He also indicated he would admit tax violations as part of a plea deal . | [[317, 336], [343, 392], [393, 471], [748, 753], [756, 758], [761, 868]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's a good thing he did n't go with '' @andrew . '' Drew Olanoff wants to benefit the LiveStrong charity because of the support the foundation has given him . Drew Olanoff , cancer-fighter and blogger , is auctioning off his enviable Twitter username '' @drew '' to benefit the LiveStrong foundation . Since Tuesday , its value has already been raised to $ 1 million , thanks to that other Drew -- last name Carey . `` I thought we would find a Drew who would bid $ 10,000 on the last day and that was it , '' Olanoff said . `` I certainly did n't think Drew Carey would get wind of it . '' Get wind he did . The Cleveland comedian raised the stakes on Saturday , first tweeting an initial bid of $ 25,000 only to quadruple it , offering up $ 100,000 if his Twitter followers totaled 100,000 by the auction 's closing at midnight on November 9 . Olanoff was taken back by Carey 's generosity , whom he 's never met nor spoken to , but it seems Carey was n't done yet . In the middle of an interview yesterday with CBS -LRB- the corporation writing Carey 's checks , as he 's the host of the network 's `` The Price is Right '' -RRB- , he upped the ante from $ 100,000 to a cool $ 1 million if he gets the same amount of followers by midnight on December 31 . Judging by how quickly the follower count increases every time his @DrewFromTV Twitter page is refreshed -- on Thursday evening , he was rapidly approaching 66,000 followers -- Carey is well on his way to doing so . Of course , if he does n't reach a million followers , the donation will be prorated : If there are 500,000 followers when the clock strikes midnight , then $ 500,000 will be given to LiveStrong . It may seem like Carey 's gotten himself into some sort of popularity game , but it 's not about amassing millions of followers or the Twitter name , Olanoff said . `` There are obviously going to be skeptics , but Drew Carey is new to Twitter . Celebrities can get followers ; Ashton Kutcher has 3 million , '' Olanoff told CNN . `` What he 's saying is , ` Follow me ; you 're worth a dollar , and it 's going to LiveStrong . ' '' This is n't the first time Olanoff 's stirred up the `` Twitter-verse . '' From the minute he was diagnosed with Hodgkin 's disease in late May , he decided his cancer was of the social variety , and turned to Twitter to air his frustrations . `` I 'm a very public person , I 'm a geek , and I 've been on Twitter for years , '' Olanoff said . `` I realized this is serious , and I started to blame things on my cancer . I 'm not a whiny person and I did n't want to get negative -LSB- so the site -RSB- it was a nice way for me to focus all of my anger and being upset and worrying . '' With the help of a friend who 's also suffered from Hodgkin 's disease , Olanoff set up BlameDrewsCancer.com , where tweeters can blame his cancer for any and everything that 's gone wrong , in 140 characters or less . Lance Armstrong , LiveStrong 's founder , blamed a broken collarbone on it , while Alyssa Milano found Drew 's cancer to be at fault for her inability to resist chocolate drizzled popcorn ; she then tweeted an offer to help out Drew 's cancer awareness campaign in whatever way she could . Famous or not , Olanoff found comfort in those tweets . `` When I would go through my chemo treatments every two weeks , for me it felt like I had a huge support group , because when you 're diagnosed with -LSB- cancer -RSB- you can feel alone , '' he said . As a result , Olanoff has decided to keep blaming cancer even though signs are pointing towards improved health ; his last chemo treatment is November 2 . Until midnight on November 9 , his 30th birthday , Olanoff 's resolved to round up as many @DrewFromTV followers as he can , and maybe accept Carey 's invitation to meet up when Olanoff 's back in Los Angeles . For now , Olanoff is resting up and tossing around new Twitter names . One in the running is @TheOtherDrew , but no word on how much that one could go for . | Drew Olanoff has placed his Twitter username up for auction to benefit charity . Drew Carey said he 'd donate $ 1 million if he gets 1 million followers by Dec. 31 . Olanoff never expected his auction to get attention from other Drews like Carey . The L.A.-based blogger is also behind the @BlameDrew ` sCancer username . | [[180, 221], [224, 322], [549, 608]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nobel laureate Norman E. Borlaug , an agricultural scientist who helped develop disease-resistant wheat used to fight famine in poor countries , died Saturday . He was 95 . Norman Borlaug received a Congressional Gold Medal from then President George W. Bush on July 17 , 2007 . Borlaug died from cancer complications in Dallas , Texas , a spokeswoman for Texas A&M University said . A 1970 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize , Borlaug was a distinguished professor of international agriculture at the university . Borlaug started at Texas A&M in 1984 , after working as a scientist in a program that introduced scientific techniques for preventing famine in Mexico , according to the university . Until recently , he traveled worldwide working for improvements in agricultural science and food policy , said Kathleen Phillips , a university spokeswoman . Borlaug was known as a champion of high-yield crop varieties , and other science and agricultural innovations to help fight hunger in developing nations . iReport.com : Tour Borlaug 's boyhood farm . `` We all eat at least three times a day in privileged nations , and yet we take food for granted , '' Borlaug said recently in an interview posted on the university 's Web site . `` There has been great progress , and food is more equitably distributed . But hunger is a commonplace , and famine appears all too often . '' He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 , and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2006 , according to the university 's Web site . The agriculture institute at the university was named after him in 2006 . Borlaug also created the World Food Prize , which recognized the work of scientists and humanitarians who have helped fight world hunger through advanced agriculture , the university said . A memorial service will be held at the university at a later date . | Borlaug died at the age of 95 from complications caused by cancer . In 1970 , was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his contribution to science . Helped develop disease-resistant wheat , worked to ease world food shortages . Borlaug : `` There has been great progress . . but famine appears all too often '' | [[180, 191], [298, 346], [54, 79], [84, 161], [1255, 1287], [1365, 1395]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Police in London have reached a settlement with the family of Jean Charles de Menezes , whom officers shot dead in 2005 , mistaking him for a suicide bomber . The police offered `` a further unreserved apology '' for the death of de Menezes in 2005 , plus an undisclosed compensation package , the police and the de Menezes family said in a joint statement . `` All litigation between them arising out of the tragic death of Jean Charles de Menezes has been resolved , '' the statement added . De Menezes was killed on a London Underground train weeks after four suicide bombers struck on the London transport system on July 7 , 2005 . The controversial shooting of the unarmed Brazilian man sparked a number of investigations , including one that found police acted illegally . A jury found in 2007 that London 's Metropolitan Police Service broke health and safety laws in the shooting . It did not examine the cause of death . Jurors at a 2008 inquest found that the police who shot de Menezes did not shout a warning before firing at him . They also found that de Menezes did not advance toward armed officers on the subway train , which would have given them a reason to shoot . But the coroner at the inquest , who acted as the judge , had told the jury members they could not return a verdict of unlawful killing . They returned an open verdict in the case , meaning the jury was unable to establish a cause of death . De Menezes ' family called the proceedings a `` whitewash '' because jurors were not allowed to consider a verdict of unlawful killing . De Menezes was killed July 22 , 2005 , a day after four failed bombings aboard the London transit system . Two weeks earlier , four suicide bombers blew apart three London subway trains and a bus , killing 52 people and wounding 977 . The city was on edge as police sought the four failed bombers . Officers staking out a home in south London saw and followed de Menezes , 27 , believing he was one of the suspects . They trailed him as he traveled on a bus and into a subway station , where they chased him onto the platform and into a train , and shot him dead . The Independent Police Complaints Commission concluded in 2007 that de Menezes was innocent of anything that might have justified police action . `` We made a most terrible mistake , '' Acting Police Commissioner Paul Stephenson said at the time , adding police needed to learn from the incident . `` I am sorry . '' The shooting was one of several issues that led to the resignation last year of Police Commissioner Ian Blair . CNN 's Melissa Gray in London contributed to this report . | UK police reach settlement with family of Jean Charles de Menezes , whom police shot dead in 2005 . Officers mistook de Menezes for suicide bomber . He was killed on Tube train weeks after four suicide bombers struck on London transport system . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [46, 121], [395, 502], [2091, 2095], [2148, 2163], [9, 26], [158, 194], [530, 614], [594, 671], [1650, 1705], [1706, 1723], [1726, 1794], [1726, 1746], [1797, 1833]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The suspected link between Chinese drywall and toxic effects reported by thousands of U.S. homeowners was strengthened Monday by three preliminary reports issued by the federal government . The strongest link came from an analysis of air sampled inside dozens of homes containing drywall made in China . `` While the study of 51 homes detected hydrogen sulfide and formaldehyde ... at concentrations below irritant levels , it is possible that the additive or synergistic effects of these and other compounds in the subject homes could cause irritant effects , '' the Consumer Product Safety Commission said in its executive summary of the study . Two other preliminary studies found copper sulfide corrosion in metal components taken from homes containing the Chinese drywall . The drywall in question was imported from 2005 through 2007 , when a housing boom and two active hurricane seasons created a shortage of building materials in the southern United States . Since then , the product safety agency has received nearly 2,100 reports from 32 states -- but mostly from Florida , Louisiana and Virginia -- of homeowners complaining of a rotten-egg smell , sickness , failed appliances , and corroded wires and pipes . Many have moved out of their homes . In some cases , insurers have refused to reimburse them . The air study tested 41 houses containing Chinese drywall and compared those findings with air from inside 10 homes in the same geographical areas whose homeowners had not complained , said Jack McCarthy , president of Environmental Health & Engineering Inc. , which carried out the work . The investigators also examined materials such as copper pipes and wiring for corrosion , and looked at indoor air humidity , temperature and air exchange , he said . Copper and silver strips were left in the homes for two weeks and then examined for corrosion , he said . The result : in the 41 homes containing the problem drywall , there was a `` strong association '' between the high levels of hydrogen sulfide and the corrosion of the metals , he said . `` Temperature , humidity and air-exchange rates also appear to be contributing factors , '' McCarthy told reporters on a conference call , noting that higher moisture and temperature levels and lower air-exchange rates were connected with more corrosion . Formaldehyde , also a potential source of irritation , was found in both complaint and noncomplaint homes , he said . Though McCarthy cautioned that the study was not intended to examine health effects , `` we can say that the levels of the pollutants we found , particularly the hydrogen sulfide and formaldehyde , could possibly contribute to some of the health problems that have been reported to the CPSC . '' McCarthy also said that not all Chinese drywall may be alike . Its risk `` depends on what it is made of , not necessarily what country it 's from , '' he said . The next step is to determine how to identify homes with the corrosive materials and how to fix them , said Scott Wolfson , the product safety agency 's director of information and public affairs , who noted that the investigation is the largest in the agency 's history . He said none of the tainted drywall entered the United States this year . Hundreds of thousands of suspect boards have been stockpiled in warehouses ; their owners have been told it will not be sold , he added . Several weeks ago , agency representatives traveled to China , where they visited mines , factories and government officials to determine the scope of the problem , which is still not clear , Wolfson said . `` The CPSC is working hard to determine how many homes in how many states are affected , '' he said , adding that the data do not support the widely reported figure of 100,000 homes . Wolfson said the Chinese helped investigate . `` They 're committed to helping us with the technical side of this investigation , '' he said . Though the study raises suspicions that the drywall is responsible for the health effects reported by some families , Wolfson said a causal association has not been proved . `` The work continues , '' he said . `` The work toward an exact nexus between drywall and effects is still ongoing . '' Wolfson called on the news media to help alert homeowners in affected houses to report the problem . Some may be hesitant to report because they are afraid their insurers will drop their coverage , he said , but he pointed out that the reports can be made confidentially . `` We will make sure that you are not harmed in any way by reporting to the government , '' he said . Monday 's report did not surprise Sen. Bill Nelson , D-Florida , who said the product safety commission 's chairwoman , Inez Tenenbaum , told him Monday she did not know when further testing would be completed . `` I am very disappointed with the whole process , and especially that the CDC -LSB- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -RSB- and EPA -LSB- Environmental Protection Agency -RSB- ca n't say whether drywall is harmful to people 's health , '' he told CNN . `` Common sense says otherwise , but we still lack definitive answers . '' Joan Glickman , who moved out of her townhouse in Pompano Beach , Florida , after her wiring and air conditioning failed , said Monday 's report told her nothing new . `` It was a huge letdown because it still did n't tell me how to fix it , who 's going to fix it , how do we go about fixing it , where the money comes from , '' said Glickman , who moved in with her mother . `` This has left us in such a mess . '' CNN 's Rich Phillips contributed to this story from Miami , Florida . | Air samples from 41 homes containing drywall made in China are analyzed . `` Strong association '' found between high hydrogen sulfide levels , corrosion in the homes . Nearly 2,100 reports detail smell , sickness , failed appliances , corrosion in homes . Drywall in question was imported during U.S. housing boom , from 2005 through 2007 . | [[253, 287], [282, 322], [759, 797], [1336, 1430], [1915, 1958], [1961, 2073], [2548, 2715], [66, 120], [986, 996], [999, 1073], [1132, 1240], [2693, 2753], [4010, 4054], [798, 857]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Milwaukee , Wisconsin , police have arrested a man whose DNA linked him to the bodies of nine women killed over 21 years , officials said at a news conference Monday night . Walter E. Ellis , 49 , was arrested after police matched a DNA swab taken from him last week to the victims . Walter E. Ellis , 49 , was arrested after police matched a DNA swab taken from him last week to DNA left on the bodies of nine women killed since 1986 . Police said eight of the women were prostitutes and one was a runaway involved with drugs . They were all killed within a 3-square-mile area of Milwaukee 's north side . `` This case was solved with shoe leather and science , '' Milwaukee Police Chief Edward A. Flynn said . `` Continuing advances in DNA technology have enabled us to link these homicide cases , and it was good police work pursuing numerous leads that led to the arrest of a suspect . '' The homicides occurred between 1986 and 2007 , police said . See where the bodies were found '' Ellis was charged Monday with two counts of first degree murder relating to two of the deaths : 41-year-old Joyce Mims , who was killed in 1997 , and 28-year-old Ouithreaun Stokes , who was killed in April 2007 . Police said more charges are likely . It was n't immediately clear whether Ellis had obtained an attorney . Police said other victims linked to Ellis through DNA were : Tanya L. Miller , killed in 1986 ; Deborah L. Harris , killed in 1986 ; Sheila Farrior , strangled in 1995 ; Florence McCormick , strangled in 1995 ; Irene Smith , killed in 1992 ; Carron D. Kilpatrick , killed in 1992 , and Jessica Payne , killed in 1995 . Flynn told CNN it was hard for investigators to discern a geographic pattern for the homicides . In the 20-year period , more than 2,000 slayings occurred in Milwaukee , he said -- 200 of them in the same area where the bodies were found . Another challenge investigators faced was the developing technology of DNA evidence . The technology in 2009 far exceeds that available in 1986 or even 2002 , he said . It was only this year that police were able to link the nine homicides with the same DNA pattern . Even then `` we did not have anyone to match our DNA profile against , until we were able to get -LSB- Ellis ' -RSB- toothbrush , '' he told CNN . A Wisconsin law passed in 2000 mandated the DNA collection from convicted felons . Ellis was released from prison in 2001 without having his DNA sample collected , Flynn said . Because his name had surfaced in the investigation and because he was also listed in two FBI databases , authorities decided to investigate him further and were able to obtain the search warrant that allowed them to collect his DNA from his toothbrush , the police chief said . News of Ellis ' arrest shocked those who knew him . `` That was just my ex-boyfriend , '' his former girlfriend , Chanita , told CNN affiliate WISN-TV . She asked that her last name not be used . `` I did n't know nothing about nothing like this . I 'm getting shivery now cause you 're talking about some strangling stuff . Lord have mercy on me . I 'm just a wreck right now . I ca n't believe this . I 'm trembling in here . I 'm shakin ' . '' Chanita said she dated Ellis for four years . `` I ca n't believe it . This is a shock , '' she told WISN . `` I got like goose bumps on my arms instantly when you told me that . I 'm like no way -- not Walter -- I ca n't see him hurting nobody . '' For relatives of the victims , the news brought mixed emotions . `` I knew they was gon na get him , I knew it , '' Patricia Donald , best friend of victim Deborah Harris , told WISN . `` Finally he ca n't hurt nobody anymore . '' For her and others , like Sandy Farrior , whose daughter Sheila was linked to Ellis , it was news that helped bring closure . `` Late justice is better than no justice , '' he told WISN . In addition to advances in DNA technology , officials attributed the break in the case to the repeated investigation of cold cases by the Milwaukee Police Department 's Homicide Task Force Cold Case Unit . Although Mims and Stokes were strangled about a decade apart , similar DNA on their bodies helped lead police to a suspect . Watch where cops got DNA sample '' Mims was found strangled and lying on her back wearing only socks on June 20 , 1997 , in a small closet near a living room in Milwaukee , according to court documents . Police found DNA on her body , but there were no matches in the system , the court documents show . On April 27 , 2007 , Stokes was found strangled , partially clothed and lying face down in a living room in Milwaukee , according to court documents . When lab technicians tested the DNA found on her body , they found it directly matched the DNA found on Mims . On August 29 of this year , armed with a search warrant , police took a toothbrush and razor from Ellis ' home . Testing showed the DNA found on Mims and Stokes was a match to Ellis , according to court documents . Ellis has been charged at least 10 times with varying offenses ranging from violent crimes to property crimes between 1981 and 1998 , though some of the charges were dismissed , online court records in Wisconsin show . He was sentenced to five years in state prison after he pleaded no contest to a reckless injury charge in 1998 . None of the victims linked to Ellis was killed during the time he was in jail . However , two men were charged in slayings later linked to Ellis , according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel . Curtis McCoy was charged in October 1994 with killing Kilpatrick , but he was later acquitted by a jury , the newspaper reported . It also said Chaunte Ott , who was convicted of killing Payne , served 13 years in prison before being released in January , after DNA analysis showed semen found on the girl 's body was not his . CNN 's Gabriel Falcon contributed to this report . | DNA found on bodies of nine women matched to Walter E. Ellis , police say . Ellis charged in two killings and more charges likely , police say . Police chief hails arrest : `` This case was solved with shoe leather and science '' The women were killed between 1986 and 2007 . | [[43, 118], [399, 435], [1329, 1382], [2084, 2155], [4143, 4204], [4884, 4952], [959, 972], [1221, 1258], [1233, 1258], [5432, 5462], [626, 679], [2734, 2757], [108, 139], [425, 455], [912, 956], [4089, 4140]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Refugees at a settlement in southwestern Uganda have barricaded all roads into the camp to protest a food-aid disruption they say has caused the deaths of several children , refugee leaders said Tuesday . `` We have spent three months without any food supplies from government nor from any food relief or humanitarian agency , '' Congolese refugee leader Serugendo Sekalinda said by telephone . The protest began Tuesday after the deaths of three children Monday night , refugees said . Those were the latest of dozens of children who have died in the past two weeks due to hunger , refugee leaders said . But Needa Jehu Hoyah , a spokeswoman for the United Nations refugee agency , known as the UNHCR , told CNN by telephone from the Ugandan capital , Kampala , that no children have died in the Nakivale settlement , which has tens of thousands of refugees . `` We have a malnutrition program -LSB- in Nakivale -RSB- for children , -LSB- but -RSB- no children have died of hunger there , '' she said . The UNHCR , along with the U.N. 's World Food Program and the Ugandan government , will deliver a food shipment to the settlement Wednesday , Hoyah said . Uganda 's disaster preparedness and refugees minister , professor Tarsis Kabwejyere , told CNN that the refugees living in that camp -- most of whom fled fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo -- would have their full rations Wednesday . For a time they 've been getting half rations , he said . `` By tomorrow there will be no food crisis at that settlement , '' Kabwejyere said . `` We do our best to make sure humanity survives , even in the hardships in refugee settlements , so people have a reasonable existence . '' The food shortage came about as a result of a disruption in the food supply chain and a shortage of money for food , the minister said . Hoyah agreed that there `` were issues with the food pipeline . '' Protesters at the Nakivale settlement , about 400 kilometers -LRB- 248 miles -RRB- southwest of Kampala and 6 kilometers -LRB- 3.7 miles -RRB- north of the Ugandan border with Tanzania , gathered at the homes where the most recent deaths of children have occurred , Sekalinda said . `` We are demanding to be relocated to another country where we can be protected from death caused by hunger , '' he said . While the settlement 's population is composed mainly of refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo , it also houses refugees from conflicts in Rwanda , Ethiopia , Somalia , Eritrea and Kenya . Nakivale is the largest and oldest of the five refugee settlements in Uganda , having opened more than two decades ago . People living there are provided small plots of land on which to grow crops , and they often build huts made of mud , water and thatched grass . As many as 155,000 refugees live in all the camps in Uganda , according to the UNHCR . As of January of this year , there were also an estimated 853,000 internally displaced persons , or IDPs , the UNHCR says on its Web site . The IDPs were forced from their villages in the past decade by attacks from the Lord 's Resistance Army , which wants to create a democratic government in Uganda based on the Bible 's Ten Commandments . Last week , an African Union summit in Kampala endorsed a declaration to end the forceful displacement of people in all of Africa . Delegates to the poorly attended summit also pledged to aid refugees and IDPs by training them in vocational skills so they could find work during and after their forced displacement . Journalist Samson Ntale in Kampala , Uganda , contributed to this report . | Lack of food causing deaths of children , refugees at Ugandan settlement say . Protest began after three children died Monday , refugee leader says . United Nations refugee agency denies any child has died of hunger at Nakivale . But agency acknowledges supply problem , says food coming Wednesday . | [[140, 190], [538, 549], [554, 599], [2280, 2302], [414, 474], [782, 835], [953, 1006], [1023, 1103], [1106, 1162]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- People in big cities walk past them every day -- street performers , or buskers . Some are talented , some are not , and most are n't performing for a cause greater than themselves . But on Monday , 12-year-old Abby Miller was . Abby Miller sings for her friend Taylor Love outside Washington 's Union Station on Monday . She was performing outside Washington 's Union Station to help her 4-year-old friend , Taylor Love , who is suffering from cancer . Abby sat in front of the station with a couple of her friends , singing songs and strumming a guitar . Passers-by seemed to notice the girl 's singing talent , stopping to listen in the chilly weather , with a few putting money in a bucket at Abby 's feet . Abby said the money will help support Taylor 's family . A few more stopped to write messages on `` Love Notes , '' little cards designed to encourage Taylor Love through the tough time . `` Her mom reads them to her before she goes to bed at night , '' Abby said . `` Taylor gets excited for them and she loves getting them read to her because she likes knowing that people are supporting her and people are actually thinking of her . '' Taylor has neuroblastoma , a cancer that affects the nervous system . According to her Web site , she is in remission , but this type of cancer has a high risk of recurrence . There has been little research on the illness , of which there are about 650 new cases in the United States each year . Mike Gillette , a family friend of both Taylor and Abby , brought the two girls together . While raising money and support for Taylor is important , he said , he thinks Abby 's outreach can help bring more critical awareness for the devastating disease . `` She really wanted to reach people all over the country , '' he said . Gillette said he has taken Abby to do similar performances in the District of Columbia , New Jersey and Virginia , and estimates they 've raised thousands of dollars and have gotten people to write several hundred `` Love Notes . '' Abby does more than just raise money and awareness for her friend . Taylor 's mother , Aimee , said that although Abby is eight years older than Taylor , the two see each other often and have a special connection that helps her get through her daughter 's illness . `` I think it 's amazing for a 12-year-old Abby to be drawn to my daughter , who is 4 and wants to inspire other children , '' Aimee Love said . `` The joy I see in Taylor when she sees Abby brings a light into my life . '' Taylor 's family said her treatments are terribly painful . But Abby said Taylor has enormous character . `` She 's the most happy girl in the world , which I think is just incredible , '' Abby said . `` She 's so much fun to be around . She 's a little 4-year-old girl but she 's got a heart of like a thousand grown adults . '' Aimee Love said her daughter feels the same way about Abby . `` It gives her someone to aspire to , someone to be inspired by , '' she said . | Abby Miller sings , plays guitar to help 4-year-old friend with cancer . Abby collects donations , has people write notes of support for Taylor Love . Taylor has neuroblastoma , a cancer that affects the nervous system . | [[259, 291], [352, 436], [415, 436], [439, 452], [457, 483], [484, 488], [548, 586], [1805, 1813], [1924, 2034], [2038, 2042], [2058, 2105], [415, 436], [439, 452], [457, 483], [1181, 1207], [1208, 1216], [1222, 1250]] |
PERUGIA , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A judge Tuesday convicted Rudy Guede , a native of the Ivory Coast , in last year 's murder of a British woman in Italy and sentenced him to 30 years in prison . Briton Meredith Kercher was found dead in her Perugia apartment last November . Judge Paolo Micheli also ruled that adequate evidence exists to try an American woman , Amanda Knox , and her former Italian boyfriend , Raffaele Sollecito , in the killing of Meredith Kercher , said defense attorneys and Francisco Maresca , the lawyer for the victim 's family . Their trial will begin December 4 . Guede , Knox and Sollecito have all denied wrongdoing . Guede 's attorney said he will appeal the conviction and sentence . Kercher , a 21-year-old exchange student at the University of Perugia , was found nearly a year ago , dead in her bed , with a knife wound to her neck . Official reports said Kercher may have been sexually assaulted before she died and that she bled to death . Members of Kercher 's family spoke to reporters following the court proceeding . John Kercher Jr. , one of the woman 's brothers , said it was `` overwhelming '' to be in the same room as Guede when the judge convicted and sentenced him . But Lyle Kercher , a second brother , said that `` pleased '' was n't the right word for the family 's feelings , noting that his sister was murdered . `` Satisfied '' was more appropriate given the circumstances , he said . At his lawyers ' request , Guede , hoping for a lesser sentence , received a separate fast-track trial from Knox and Sollecito . Lawyers for Sollecito , 24 , and Knox , 21 , asked that their clients -- who have been in jail since shortly after the murder -- be allowed to stay under house arrest if indicted . However , Sollecito 's attorney , Luca Maori , and Knox 's attorney , Carlo Dalla Vedova , said the judge had not ruled on their request . They expect an answer in coming days , they said . Prosecutors allege Guede committed sexual violence against Kercher with the help of Knox and Sollecito . They have said the three then strangled and stabbed the British student and took money , credit cards and cell phones in an attempt to make it look like the crime occurred during a robbery . Guede has admitted being in the villa when Kercher was killed , but has said an unknown assailant killed her while he was out of the room . Police say a bloody footprint from a shoe next to Kercher 's body came from Sollecito . They also say investigators found traces of blood belonging to both Knox and Kercher mixed together in a bathroom adjacent to the room where Kercher died . Both Knox and Sollecito have given what prosecutors have said are confusing and contradictory accounts of what happened the night Kercher was killed . CNN 's Hada Messia contributed to this report . | NEW : Man sentenced to 30 years jail for murder of British student Meredith Kercher . Judge orders two others , one American , one Italian to stand trial for alleged roles . Kercher was found dead in Italian villa last November . Prosecutors say the three killed her after sexual assault . | [[10, 31], [159, 196], [277, 296], [302, 469], [197, 276], [717, 724], [779, 818], [870, 961], [1942, 2046]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An $ 80 million research project aimed at giving people 50 active years after the age of 50 was launched by scientists at the University of Leeds in northern England Tuesday . The challenge is to ensure old people stay as fit as Brisbane centenarian Ruth Frith , seen competing at shot put during World Masters Games in Sydney this month . About half of the babies born in Western countries today will live until they are 100 years old , according to recent research published in the medical journal The Lancet , so the challenge is to ensure they remain active throughout their old age . While most of us will live longer than our parents and grandparents , the aging population means that in coming decades more people will suffer from age-related conditions such as osteoarthritis , heart disease and chronic back pain . Obesity and increased physical activity also put more pressure on our joints , causing them to wear out faster . Scientists at Leeds University envisage that many of the body parts that flounder with age could be upgraded using own-grown tissues and more durable implants . This will mean artificial hips , knees and heart valves , for example , lasting far longer than the current 20-year typical lifespan . `` Our work is driven by the concept of 50 more years after 50 -- that is , making our second 50 years of life as healthy , comfortable and active as our first , so we can enjoy a higher quality of life , '' explains Professor John Fisher , who is an expert in artificial joints and tissue regeneration . `` We now have the technology available to do astonishing things , such as repairing the body by growing healthy new tissue through biological scaffolds and stem cell therapy . And a new generation of prosthetic hip and knee joints that last longer will avoid the need for further replacements . '' Fisher says the center also hopes to gain a better understanding of degenerative diseases to allow for early diagnosis , rather than having to treat someone when they are already in crippling pain . `` For example , we 're developing biosensor tools that can detect the presence of antibodies and proteins in the blood . All of these technologies will ultimately reduce suffering in patients through more timely interventions , shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery times . '' So how do you feel about this . Are you looking forward to your old age ? Do you believe you will remain active ? Click here to send us your comments and we will try to use as many as possible in tonight 's show . | $ 80M research project launched aimed at giving people 50 active years after 50 . Half of babies born in Western countries today will live until 100 years old . Leeds University projects aims to ensure people remain active into old age . Scientists believe many body parts that flounder with age could be upgraded . | [[36, 117], [1269, 1331], [390, 426], [376, 400], [417, 502], [552, 624], [1026, 1040], [1046, 1063]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One of eight people killed in a southeast Georgia mobile home last month recently had been awarded $ 25,000 in a civil lawsuit , officials said . Guy Heinze Jr. faces eight counts of first-degree murder in last month 's killings in a Georgia mobile home . Guy Heinze Sr. , 46 , was granted the award by the McIntosh County , Georgia , Magistrate Court in a suit over a mobile home that he owned , court officials said . He had not received the money as the ruling was under appeal . Heinze was found dead August 29 in his Brunswick mobile home along with six others . An eighth person died later at a hospital . Police said all of the victims died from `` blunt force trauma , '' but they did not provide any further details . Heinze 's son , Guy Heinze Jr. , 22 , faces eight counts of first-degree murder in the deaths . Police suspect he acted alone , according to a statement from the Glynn County Police Department . The younger Heinze has made his initial court appearance via closed-circuit television from the Glynn County Detention Center , his attorney , Ron Harrison , said Tuesday . His preliminary hearing likely will come next week , Harrison said . The elder Heinze told relatives about the award days before his death , family members said . Court officials said the ruling was issued August 11 , and an appeal was filed six days later . Harrison said he was aware of the award in the lawsuit but would not comment on it . Police also are aware of it , Glynn County Police Chief Matt Doering said , but he declined comment on whether it is being explored as a possible motive in the slayings . Watch hints of a possible motive '' Harrison said he last saw his client on Friday , as he was not required to appear with him to hear the charges read . The younger Heinze `` continues to deny any involvement in the murders and urges anyone with information to contact authorities , '' he said Tuesday . He described his client as `` not good , disappointed , upset , angry . '' Heinze called 911 to report the slayings , telling the dispatcher , `` My whole family is dead . '' He was arrested just afterward and initially was charged with tampering with evidence and making false statements to a police officer as well as facing drug charges . Hear the 911 call '' An arrest warrant said he provided police `` with false and misleading information about his whereabouts and involvement in the circumstances leading to him calling 911 to report the deaths of his family members '' and that he removed a shotgun from the mobile home and hid it in his car . He was arrested on the murder charges hours after being freed from jail on the initial charges . Family members said he was on his way to attend the visitation for the victims but was arrested before arriving . A police chaplain called relatives to tell them of the arrest , family members said . Police have not released the cause of death for any of the victims . Heinze told dispatchers in his 911 call they appeared to have been beaten to death . Funerals were held Saturday for seven of the eight victims . Besides the elder Heinze , they were Brenda Gail Falagan , 49 ; Russell D. Toler Sr. , 44 ; Russell D. Toler Jr. , 20 ; Chrissy Toler , 22 ; Michael Toler , 19 ; and Michelle Toler , 15 . The funeral for the eighth victim , Joseph L. West , 30 , is to be held mid-month . A ninth victim , a 3-year-old , was on life support at a Savannah , Georgia , hospital as of Saturday , her grandmother said . Guy Heinze Sr. 's father , William Heinze , told CNN affiliate WJXT-TV in Jacksonville , Florida , at the funerals that he doubted his grandson was responsible for the deaths . `` We want to know what really happened , '' he said . `` The police may think they know what happened , but we want to really know the truth . '' Brunswick is about 300 miles southeast of Atlanta on Georgia 's Atlantic coast . CNN 's Ashley Hayes , Sean Callebs and Chris Youd contributed to this report . | NEW : Police said all of the victims died from `` blunt force trauma '' The $ 25,000 award from suit was under appeal . Warrant lists eight counts of first-degree murder for Guy Heinze Jr. . Heinze is the son of the man who won the lawsuit . | [[631, 693], [0, 15], [92, 145], [439, 501], [472, 501], [165, 274], [746, 759], [784, 841]] |
Islamabad , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The five Americans arrested in Pakistan amid suspicion that they were plotting terrorist attacks were transferred on Saturday from the small town where they were seized to a more secure location in a larger city , police said . The U.S. citizens were taken from the town of Sargodha , where they were arrested at a home on Wednesday , to Lahore . A police interrogation report dated Thursday focused on one of the suspects , identified as Ahmed Abdullah Minni , a 20-year-old born in Virginia . The report said he regularly goes online to watch attacks on the U.S. military in Afghanistan and that he left comments praising the actions . That caught the attention of militants , and he was eventually contacted by a person named Saifullah , the report said . After contact had been made , a Yahoo! e-mail account was set up so the men and militants could communicate , the report says . E-mails were never sent from the account , but people would leave messages in the draft sections of the e-mail account and delete them after reading them , the Pakistani police report said . `` This mode of communication enabled them to pass on messages without fear of interception by the FBI , '' the report said . It said the suspects made a plan with Saifullah to go from Pakistan to Afghanistan . They gathered in Karachi and left for Hyderabad on December 1 . They tried to hook up with two militant groups -- Jaish-e-Mohammed and the Jamaat-ud-Dawa -- but neither of them showed interest . The FBI said Pakistani authorities detained the men -- four of whom it said were found to have American passports . Along with Minni , there were snapshots and brief profiles of only four others -- Umar Farooq , Aman Hassan Yemer , Waqar Hussain Khan , and Ramy Zamzam -- all from the Washington D.C. area . The five had been formally arrested . A sixth man -- Khalid Farouk , father of Umar -- had been taken into custody by police in Sargodha and was being questioned at a safe location . Authorities have said Khalid Farouk has not been considered a suspect . CNN 's Nasir Habib contributed to this report . | Suspected terrorist plotters were moved to a more secure location in Lahore , police said . The 5 U.S. citizens were arrested Wednesday in the town of Sargodha . Interrogation report focused on online postings and contacts of Virginia-born suspect . According to report , suspects planned with a contact to go from Pakistan to Afghanistan . | [[40, 174], [171, 251], [1870, 1898], [1973, 2014], [268, 322], [314, 322], [325, 372], [387, 462], [502, 534], [1244, 1328], [1252, 1328]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jordan Belfi has a great job : He plays Adam Davies on the HBO show `` Entourage , '' a comedy series that takes a look at the life of a young actor , Vincent Chase , and the old friends who surround him in Hollywood . Jordan Belfi arrives at the premiere of `` Entourage '' season six in Los Angeles , California . Davies is one of the few characters on the show who has the ability to shake one of the central figures : the unshakeable agent Ari Gold . Belfi has been around since the early days of `` Entourage '' and remembers the humble beginnings of his character 's career as an agent under Gold 's direction . Since that first season , Davies has risen to become Ari 's chief rival on the show . Belfi believes conveying the tension between him and Ari is easy , based on the great material he 's given . `` It 's a testament to the writing by Doug Ellin , the creator of the show . It 's just on the page , '' Belfi said . `` When you get setups and writing and dialogue and scenes that good , it makes your job that much easier . '' CNN talked to Belfi , who 's also in the movie `` Surrogates '' -LRB- opening Friday -RRB- , about his experiences on the show and his inspiration for the role . The following is an edited version of the interview . CNN : A lot of fans really missed that rivalry between you and Ari Gold . Talk a little about how you and Jeremy Piven kind of prepare for that and try to make that real on screen . Belfi : Adam Davies has become ... one of the few characters on the show that really knows how to get under Ari 's skin and push his buttons . Ari is an entertaining character , and it 's fun to watch him go after things , but people really enjoy kind of when Ari 's off balance . That interplay , that back and forth , particularly the sort of thing that 's happening now -LSB- on the show -RSB- , the constantly one-upping each other , is just really fun to watch . It 's entertaining . And I get that response from a lot of the fans of the show . They love Adam Davies for that reason because he just knows how to do it . Jeremy ... -LSB- is -RSB- an actor with so much power and force and impact that you 're sort of forced to up your game . You 're really present in the moment . And when you 're there and you 're really going back and forth , that 's when the sparks really fly . CNN : Talk little bit about the inspiration you draw from to play Adam Davies . Belfi : I started way back on season one in the beginning of the show . And back then , Adam Davies was still in his cubicle . So a lot of the inspiration came from meetings I had when I was starting out -- you know , behavior I experienced from agents and other industry people when I was starting out . I was in a not-too-dissimilar position . ... And I think that 's what people really respond to . There 's an absolute foundation of truth -- almost scary truth -- to the things Adam says , the things Ari does , all that kind of stuff . And it 's why it 's such a visceral experience for people in the industry and fun for people that happen not to be in the industry . CNN : What are your thoughts on Adam Davies as a person ? Belfi : What gives Ari a little bit of his soul , his heart , is that we have all these scenes with his wife and his family , and you really get to see him as a dad . ... -LSB- But -RSB- we have n't gotten to see any of the personal life of Adam Davies . So I do n't know if there 's anything yet to kind of balance out those ruthless qualities he has . But I think he 's the kind of agent that I 'd certainly like to have if you 're that actor trying to go after that job . You want that agent who 's going to beg , borrow and steal to help prove that you 're the guy . So in that respect , it seems like he 's someone you 'd want on your side . And the thing is , I think that 's what made the rivalry between him and Ari so great . You know when he was coming up , he probably did a lot of the same things -LSB- as Ari -RSB- and ran over people in similar kinds of ways . They 're really kind of the same in a lot of ways . So you 're either best friends or mortal enemies when you share that much in common with somebody . CNN : Exempting Davies , who 's your favorite character on the show and why ? Belfi : Ah ! Impossible question ! I have to exempt Adam Davies from the answer ? ... If I absolutely , gun-to-my-head have to choose , there 's a quality about -LSB- Chase 's brother -RSB- Drama that I 've always loved . And it was maybe more prominent in the first couple of seasons than it is now because it 's evolved slightly . The quality that I always found the most entertaining , is that Drama was always this mix of desperation and simultaneous pride . And that 's really funny . You know at the beginning he was just scratching , begging for something , some chunk of the game or to get back in the game . But he simultaneously kind of knows it all . And that mix is a great comedic mix , comedic recipe . It was both funny and heartbreaking . CNN : Of course , our diehard `` Entourage '' fans would love to get some scoop on the coming story lines . You 've got ta give us something . Belfi : A little something ? Well , I do n't think I 'd be giving away too much to say that Adam might get Lloyd . In terms of the story line , there 's some stuff that I 'm told with Drama and his going after this role on `` Melrose Place '' and the screen test for that role and the ups and downs of that . And also , some big things happen between Eric and Sloane . But in terms of the really exciting stuff between Adam Davies and Ari , I guess I 'll say this : At the end of season two , when Ari is trying to form his coup , to break up the agency , and Adam is the one who rats him out and gets him fired and humiliated and causes that whole thing ... In the amazing way that Doug has constructed it , all that stuff from the end of season two comes full circle . There 's this one thing that happens that will really stand out and that people will talk about . So some fun , exciting stuff to look forward to . | Jordan Belfi plays acting agent Adam Davies on the HBO show `` Entourage '' Belfi has played Ari Gold 's nemesis on the show since the first season . `` I think he 's the kind of agent that I 'd certainly like to have , '' Belfi says of Davies . A little something about coming story lines : Belfi says Adam might get Lloyd . | [[50, 81], [74, 99], [637, 660], [663, 722], [3517, 3581]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- White House communications director Anita Dunn fired back at criticism from TV commentator Glenn Beck on Friday , saying that a Mao Tse-tung quote Beck took issue with was picked up from legendary GOP strategist Lee Atwater . White House communications director Anita Dunn she picked up Mao Tse-tung from a legendary Republican . `` The Mao quote is one I picked up from the late Republican strategist Lee Atwater from something I read in the late 1980s , so I hope I do n't get my progressive friends mad at me , '' Dunn told CNN . As for Beck 's criticism : `` The use of the phrase ` favorite political philosophers ' was intended as irony , but clearly the effort fell flat -- at least with a certain Fox commentator whose sense of irony may be missing . '' On Thursday night 's program , Beck showed exclusive video of Dunn discussing the communist leader , who was responsible for a cultural revolution in 1966 that included re-education camps and setting the army and students on witch hunts against his opponents . Millions of Chinese suffered or died , most notably teachers , writers , political opponents or anyone deemed a `` reactionary . '' Dunn , taped in a speech in what appears to be a church , said the leader 's philosophies were a guidepost for her own strategy on politics . She also praised the philosophy used by religious icon Mother Teresa . `` The third lesson and tip actually comes from two of my favorite political philosophers : Mao Tse-tung and Mother Theresa -- not often coupled with each other , but the two people I turn to most to basically deliver a simple point which is ` you 're going to make choices ; you 're going to challenge ; you 're going to say why not ; you 're going to figure out how to do things that have never been done before . '' The comments set Beck into a tirade . `` It 's insanity . This is her hero 's work , '' he said . `` She thinks of this man 's work all the time ? `` It would be like me saying to you , ` you know who my favorite political philosopher is ? Adolf Hitler . ' Have you read Mein Kampf ? -LSB- She wants to -RSB- fight your fight like Hitler did , '' Beck said . Dunn recently blasted Fox News saying that the cable news organization often operates as either `` the research arm or the communications arm of the Republican Party . '' `` When he -LSB- Obama -RSB- goes on Fox , he understands that he 's not really going on it as a news network at this point . He 's going to debate the opposition . And that 's fine . He never minds doing that . `` They 're widely viewed as a part of the Republican Party . Take -LSB- the GOP 's -RSB- talking points , put them on the air , take -LSB- the GOP 's -RSB- opposition research , put them on the air , '' Dunn said . Fox News in a statement to CNN said its programming was comparable to the editorial page of a newspaper . Still , Beck wasted no time Thursday in using Dunn 's comments to blast the Obama administration for promoting what he deems a radical agenda . `` America , how many radicals is it going to take ? How many radicals surrounding our president before you understand that when the president said he wants to transform the country , he wants to transform it all right , '' Beck said . Dunn pointed out that during his presidential campaign and since being elected President Obama has been interviewed by Fox News and will be again in the future . Watch more of Dunn 's comments '' `` He 'll go on Fox because he engages with ideological opponents , '' Dunn said . `` He has done that before , and he 'll do it again . '' But it 's not just Dunn , a Democrat , who has used Mao as someone she reads . Media Matters for America , a liberal media watchdog group , points out that former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich , also a Fox News contributor , quoted Mao in a 1995 Roll Call profile . `` War is politics with blood ; politics is war without blood , '' Gingrich said , citing Mao . Karl Rove , another Fox News contributor , wrote in a December 2008 Wall Street Journal op-ed that President Bush `` encouraged me to read a Mao biography . '' Beck led the charge against Obama 's former green jobs czar Van Jones over a petition Jones signed in 2004 calling for an investigation into whether government officials deliberately allowed the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks to occur . Jones said of the petition on the Web site 911truth . org : `` I do not agree with this statement and it certainly does not reflect my views now or ever . '' Jones has also come under fire for comments he made , also before his White House job , including those in a video on YouTube . In it , he uses a vulgar expression to describe Republicans . Jones resigned from his post in September , saying in a statement that he came to Washington to `` fight for others , not for myself . '' `` I can not in good conscience ask my colleagues to expend precious time and energy defending or explaining my past . We need all hands on deck , fighting for the future , '' Jones ' statement said . Jones is a co-founder of colorofchange.org , a group that recently has been pressing advertisers to boycott Beck 's program after Beck called Obama a racist . CNN 's Martina Stewart contributed to this report . | Dunn says she got Mao quote from GOP strategist Lee Atwater . Fox News host Glenn Beck showed video of Dunn quoting Mao . Beck : `` It 's insanity . This is her hero 's work '' Other Republicans have quoted Mao in the past . | [[0, 26], [144, 255], [303, 359], [360, 458], [0, 26], [77, 131], [792, 820], [823, 890], [1858, 1874], [1875, 1899], [3676, 3701], [3737, 3857], [3932, 3943], [3951, 3963]] |
Editor 's note : Joy Behar 's new nightly show debuts Tuesday , September 29 on HLN at 9 PM ET . Joy Behar says Ukranian officials are wrong to try to block Elton John from adopting a 14-month-old boy . NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On a recent tour of a Ukrainian orphanage , Elton John and his partner met Lev , a 14-month old HIV-positive boy . They immediately fell in love with the child , but their possible bid to adopt the adorable tiny dancer was rejected by Yuriy Pavlenko , Ukraine 's Family , Youth and Sports Minister . Mr. Pavlenko , here are some tips about family , youth and sports . Family does n't mean a huddle of orphans sharing a few soiled mattresses , it 's not youth if you die of AIDS before you reach kindergarten , and wrestling over dinner scraps is not a sport . But that could be Lev 's fate now , because the Ukrainian government said Elton and his beau David Furnish are too old to adopt the boy . It sounds like the real reason is they 're too gay . John and Furnish tied the knot in 2005 , becoming one of Britain 's first gay civil unions , but Ukraine does n't recognize gay unions . Ukrainian Orthodox Church spokesman Father Georgy Gulyaev called Elton John a sinner and said , `` thank God it 's impossible under Ukrainian law for -LSB- him -RSB- to adopt a child . '' Apparently in the Ukraine , God 's No. 1 priority is preventing gay couples from giving sick kids a better life . God would never want something like that to happen . Father Gulyaev said homosexuality `` represents the dead end of human development . '' That 's odd , I thought the dead end of human development was represented by 14th century thinking like his . This guy 's head is stuck in the Dark Ages . He has n't even progressed to the Middle Ages yet . Some conservative religious leaders like to harp about the `` damage '' to families done by gay marriage , as if traditional marriage is so perfect . Since many of them have taken vows of celibacy , they 've never witnessed firsthand the damage dinner with the in-laws can cause -LRB- one of the few advantages of the celibate life , I guess -RRB- . There are even a few married Bible-thumpers spending their time trying to keep sex out of our lives -- yet they talk about sex more than anyone ! Sex is usually the first and only factor they consider when judging -- I mean , when `` dispensing enlightenment upon '' -- others . Watch Joy Behar speak about adoption '' Sure , Elton John may be gay , but he 's also a renowned musician , a celebrated humanitarian , and has been knighted by the Queen of England . In fact , for some people he is the Queen of England . Plus , there 's no downside to gay adoption . In the United States , organizations like the National Adoption Center , the American Psychological Association , and the American Academy of Pediatrics all agree that having homosexual parents does not negatively affect children . But you know what does negatively affect children ? Growing up with no parents . So now 14-month-old Lev is stuck in some depressing orphanage that makes Guantanamo Bay look like the presidential suite at the Waldorf . He 'll likely end up in foster homes and -- if he lives long enough -- maybe he can turn into a bitter , vodka-swilling drunk . All because the Ukrainian government wo n't let him be adopted by two loving gay parents who are fabulously rich and want to give him a home with the best healthcare available , dressed in Versace jammies and cashmere Huggies . Not to mention all the play dates with Brangelina 's kids . Let 's hope Sir Elton finds a different , more tolerant country willing to let him be a poor child 's loving father . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Joy Behar . | Joy Behar : Elton John , partner mulled adopting 14-month-old boy . She says Ukrainian officials were wrong to reject idea of adoption . She says their real objection seemed to be to a gay couple adopting a child . Behar : Experts say there 's no downside to gay adoption . | [[97, 202], [112, 202], [397, 530], [3273, 3349], [2636, 2640], [2643, 2681]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The wife of a Colorado father at the center of the `` balloon boy '' saga told authorities that the giant helium balloon was specifically created for a hoax to draw media attention , according to court documents released Friday . The Heene family -- including Falcon , second from right -- on CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' last week . Mayumi Heene told Larimer County investigators that she and her husband , Richard Heene , knew that their 6-year-old son Falcon was hiding at their Fort Collins home the entire time , even as police and military scrambled to search for the boy , according to the documents . The admission by Mayumi Heene was made October 17 , just two days after the balloon was released , according to the documents . The Heenes initially told authorities that they believed their child had flown away on the balloon , and when the balloon landed without him , they expressed concern that he may have fallen out of the device . The couple hatched the plan about two weeks before the incident and `` instructed their three children to lie to authorities as well as the media regarding this hoax , '' according to the documents . Their motive ? To `` make the Heene family more marketable for future media interests . '' Calls to David Lane , Richard Heene 's attorney , and Lee Christian , Mayumi Heene 's attorney , were not immediately returned Friday . Richard and Mayumi Heene are each facing a number of local charges , including conspiracy , contributing to the delinquency of a minor and attempting to influence a public servant , Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden said Sunday . Lane told CNN earlier that the sheriff was overreaching and that the family deserve the presumption of innocence . The Federal Aviation Administration is also investigating the incident . Richard and Mayumi Heene met in a Hollywood acting school and pursued fame for their family in the world of reality TV , Alderden has said . The Heenes have appeared on the ABC program `` Wife Swap . '' Richard Heene also chases storms , brings his family along and takes videos . TLC , which produces the show `` Jon & Kate Plus 8 , '' said the Heenes had `` approached us months ago '' about a possible show , `` and we passed . '' | Mayumi Heene says she and husband knew 6-year-old was safe during scare . They told authorities child might have blown away inside giant balloon . Couple told children to lie to authorities and media , document says . | [[353, 424], [405, 424], [443, 596], [756, 854], [861, 896], [899, 965], [1034, 1131]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The woman who was denied a marriage license by a Louisiana justice of the peace because he refused to marry interracial couples said the official should lose his job . Beth McKay says a Louisiana justice of the peace denied her a marriage license since it was an interracial union . Beth McKay said she never could have expected what she heard from Tangipahoa Parish 's 8th Ward Justice of the Peace Keith Bardwell when she called his office a week ago to officiate her marriage to her African-American fiance , Terence . McKay spoke with Bardwell 's wife to make arrangements for the ceremony . `` At the end of the conversation , she said that she had to ask me a question . She asked if this was an interracial marriage . '' When McKay replied yes , she was told , `` Well , we do n't do interracial weddings or marriages . '' McKay said she was beyond shock . `` We are used to the closet racism , but we 're not going to tolerate that overt racism from an elected official . '' Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is calling to have Bardwell 's license revoked , and Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu is calling for his dismissal -- a notion shared by McKay . `` He 's not representing all the people that he is supposed to be representing , '' McKay said . `` He 's only representing the people with his same opinions . '' McKay later married Terence with the help of another justice of the peace in the same parish . Bardwell has not returned repeated calls from CNN , but he told a local newspaper in a story published Thursday that he was not a racist and he was concerned for the children who might be born of the relationship . Bardwell also said , in his experience , that most interracial marriages do n't last . `` We 're just kind of hurt , you know ? '' McKay told CNN 's Anderson Cooper on Friday . `` This does n't take care of the problem . He 's been in his position for 34 years . So , it does n't take care of the problems that we have to deal with on a daily basis . '' Watch why justice nixed interracial marriage '' McKay said her friends and family have been extremely supportive and she believes this situation occurred for a reason . `` I just think that God puts you in the right positions at the right time in order to stand up to people who -- who choose to live their lives with hate , '' she said . The Supreme Court struck down laws against interracial marriage in the landmark 1967 Loving v. Virginia case . Richard and Mildred Loving , who got married in Washington , D.C. , were arrested in their Virginia home with their marriage license framed and hanging on the wall , for the simple fact of being husband and wife . Watch Bardwell explain his decision '' In the unanimous decision , the Supreme Court said that `` Under our Constitution , the freedom to marry , or not marry , a person of another race resides with the individual and can not be infringed by the state . '' The number of interracial marriages have skyrocketed , nearly quadrupling between 1970 and 2005 , the most recent year for which there is census data . As of 2005 , nearly 8.5 Americans are living in interracial marriages . | Beth McKay says she 's hurt after Louisiana justice of peace denied marriage license . Keith Bardwell says he wo n't wed interracial couples , but denies he 's racist . State officials have called for Bardwell 's dismissal . | [[16, 28], [33, 146], [187, 235], [203, 301], [1083, 1140]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Despite some signs that the economy is on the mend , a lack of confidence from consumers and companies alike may hamper job growth during the next few months , economists say . Unlike this point last year , there are some indicators for optimism about the U.S. economy . The market seems to be on a rebound , with stock prices growing steadily since March . Meanwhile , the U.S. Gross Domestic Product , a broad indicator of the economy 's strength , grew during the third quarter . It was the largest such growth since the summer of 2007 . However , the unemployment rate is staggering . The national rate hit 10.2 percent last month , the first time it has been double digits in more than 25 years . The jobless rate increased in 29 states and the District of Columbia in October , according to a recent Labor Department survey . Thirteen states reported an unemployment rate above the current national rate . Track unemployment numbers by state and industry . There is also concern that the GDP growth is largely the result of the economic stimulus implemented by the federal government and other government initiatives like the `` Cash for Clunkers '' program for automobiles . Ben Bernanke , the Federal Reserve Chairman , said recently that economic conditions were better than they were a year ago , and a modest recovery was on the horizon . Sounding a note of caution , he said : `` Some important headwinds -- in particular , constrained bank lending and a weak job market -- will likely prevent the expansion from being as robust as we would hope . '' Polls suggest many Americans are not confident about the economy . `` Some economic indicators may suggest that the economy has turned the corner -- but try telling that to the American people , '' said Keating Holland , CNN 's polling director . More than eight in 10 Americans say that economic conditions are in poor shape , according to a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll . Of that number , 43 percent described the conditions as `` very poor . '' See the poll results -LRB- pdf -RRB- . Ali Velshi , CNN 's chief business correspondent , said it may not feel as if the economy is in a recovery until the jobless numbers decrease . That may partly explain the poll 's findings . Velshi described the American economy as being founded on three pillars . One is the value of a home growing at a rate faster than the cost of owning it , he said . The other is the value of investments -- think of a 401 -LRB- k -RRB- plan or an IRA or savings for kids ' education -- increasing at a rate faster than inflation . The third , and most important one , is income , Velshi said . `` You can live without a -LSB- buying a -RSB- house . You can live without a 401 -LRB- k -RRB- . You ca n't live without an income . '' On that front , Bernanke sounded somber during his remarks to the Economic Club of New York on November 16 . `` The best thing we can say about the labor market right now is that it may be getting worse more slowly , '' he said . `` Jobs are likely to remain scarce for some time . '' Read Bernanke 's remarks -LRB- pdf -RRB- . Bernanke said jobs will likely be created next year but a high unemployment rate may still hold through 2010 . So , why does unemployment continue to rise while Wall Street seems to be rebounding ? `` There 's this real disconnect between Wall Street and Mainstreet , '' said Peter Rodriguez , an economist at the University of Virginia . `` Wall Street can benefit from forward-looking financial markets and they 've already begun to rise . `` But that does n't give anyone any new jobs . '' Rodriguez said there was `` an ample amount of what you might think of as underemployment in the active workforce . '' Let 's say you 're a manager and you have 50 employees . During tough economic times , you might minimize the pain by cutting people 's hours . Instead of working 40 hours , they work 35 hours , and your company limps along during the recession without having to lay off people . `` What that means is , on the return to normalcy , rather than hiring people , you just raise work hours , '' Rodriguez said . Bernanke brought up the dynamic as well last week . `` Recently , we 've seen the interesting phenomenon that firms have come out of recessions in aggressive cost cutting mode and in doing so , they 've actually created productivity gains , '' he said . CNNMoney : Are things really getting better ? Consequently , the number of part-time workers who say they would like a full-time job but ca n't find one has doubled since the recession began , he noted . However , those gains companies made while cutting back on workers are likely `` limited and probably temporary , '' he said . `` If demand , production and confidence pick up , they will find their labor force stretched thin and they will add new workers , '' he said . The trend might not change until companies and business owners feel confident enough in the economy to start hiring . There are a number of factors that could influence that perspective , including access to credit , lending from banks and overseas competition . They have to feel assured of a recovery to discard their caution and put their money at risk , Rodriguez said . `` They feel better , but not better enough to invest in growth , '' he said . `` They 're becoming slightly less timid , but we 're still deep in the rehabilitation phase . '' | The national unemployment rate is 10.2 percent . Labor Department : The jobless rate increased in 29 states in October . Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke sees modest growth on the horizon . | [[608, 653], [721, 800], [1330, 1368]] |
Editor 's note : Ed Rollins , a senior political contributor for CNN , is senior presidential fellow at the Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency at Hofstra University . He was White House political director for President Reagan and chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee . Ed Rollins says `` Saturday Night Live '' satire has shaped images of presidents for the worse . NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Since its debut on October 11 , 1975 , `` Saturday Night Live '' has spoofed , ridiculed and hammered presidents and other political figures without regard to political affiliation or any other sensitivities . The perfect parroting of Sarah Palin after her vice president nomination , by the immensely talented Tina Fey , started the downward spiraling of the governor . People started looking at her in a different light , and she was judged as a less serious candidate . Saturday 's skit portraying President Obama as a man who made a lot of promises and has n't been able to fulfill many -- if any -- has been analyzed over and over with a constant rerun of the `` SNL '' clip . In the comedy skit , the president is asked about unrealized campaign promises , including closing Gitmo , combating global warming , allowing openly gay people to serve in the military , withdrawing from Iraq , improving the status of the fight in Afghanistan , reforming health care and several others . On screen the response on a check list was : that each item was `` not done . '' Humor with some truth in it is always dangerous . Make no mistake , a drumbeat of belittlement can damage a president . See how ` SNL ' has portrayed presidents '' President Gerald Ford , a gifted athlete , could never overcome the image of a bumbling , clumsy man who banged his head constantly after the hilarious portrayal of him by Chevy Chase . The senior Bush , George H.W. , was brilliantly played by Dana Carvey , and more viewers remember our 41st president as the goofy , inarticulate caricature than as a serious man who served his country in many positions . But the real question being debated on cable TV because of the `` SNL '' parody is this : `` Has the media 's love affair and honeymoon with President Obama ended ? '' I ca n't answer that . I can say that President Obama is being judged with the same scrutiny as those who have gone before him in the modern era . Sooner or later , all honeymoons for presidents come to an end . This one may have lasted a little longer because many in the media got caught up in the story , in the history and wrote with their emotions instead of their computers . In the few months President Obama has been in office , the following questions are being asked across the country by some Americans and the media , too : `` Is he as good as we all hoped ? Can he possibly meet the extraordinary high expectations that were set for him ? Can he get the job done ? Could anyone ? '' Democrats will add pensively to the words : `` Not Done '' from the `` SNL '' skit , `` Not yet . '' Republicans would add assertively : `` Not ever ! '' Democrats are still hopeful this president will turn out to be the `` Camelot II '' ; the new generational leader for whom they have waited decades and in some cases lifetimes . Many hope President Obama will be the new John Fitzgerald Kennedy -- with the legislative skills of Lyndon Baines Johnson . Republicans have no hope left about Obama . At best , they pray , for the good of the country that he 's not as bad as Jimmy Carter . But in reality , they see the man who campaigned as a centrist turning out to be the feared liberal who voted that way during his short Senate tenure . At a time of fiscal crisis , President Obama in their minds is turning into the biggest spender and taxer in history -- and they believe they must oppose him . His campaign was brilliant , and he won against two inferior campaigns , though not necessarily inferior candidates . Both of those candidates are making major contributions to the governing process . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is getting high marks and certainly has been a loyal supporter of the president . John McCain has renewed his Senate career with intensity and has become a valuable asset to the loyal opposition . Every president finds out that campaigning and governing are not the same thing . Governing is tough every day . Campaigning can be fun . It 's why some modern presidents want to keep doing it even after being elected . Reagan did it . Bill Clinton did it . George W. Bush did it . And this president likes to do it , and I am sure will continue to ride Air Force One from speech to speech , coast to coast . Giving a good speech or making a great appearance on the campaign trail to adoring crowds is not the same as making the tough choices that President Obama needs to make every day alone in his Oval Office . No cheering there . Often in campaigns , promises are made that ca n't be kept once in office . After being elected , presidents find out the issues are more difficult the more they get to know about them . Sometimes voters do n't remember campaign promises and sometimes they do n't care . The `` Saturday Night Live '' skit left out one promise President Obama made and it was n't a campaign promise . It was the promise that his $ 787 billion stimulus package would create 3.5 million new jobs . If `` SNL '' had asked the question , the answer would be : Not Done ! The job has n't even been started . The United States is losing more jobs by the minute . Before we turn this economy around , job loss could reach 9 million in the past two years and unemployment could reach 10.5 percent . This did n't happen all on his watch and a big chunk of the stimulus is not yet spent . But if we do n't get Americans back to work , the other promises President Obama made will pale in importance . Focus on jobs , Mr. President . The highest unemployment rate in 25 years is about real Americans all across this country who are hurting and depressed . That 's a topic that 's even `` Saturday Night Live '' ca n't joke about , because it 's tragic . All Americans want to see this president succeed in getting that job done . iReport.com : ` SNL ' wo n't hurt Obama . The president has made a lot of promises regarding health care reform , even though the final details of the bills are not known . Promises made as president do count ; , far more than those as a candidate . And the president will be measured against them . He will be judged not in a skit on `` Saturday Night Live '' but by his fellow citizens at the voting booth . And it will be no laughing matter if they feel he misled them . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ed Rollins . | Ed Rollins : `` Saturday Night Live '' highlighted unfulfilled Obama promises . He says `` SNL '' has history of shaping negative perceptions of presidents . He says Obama has burden of very high expectations for his presidency . Rollins says all of Obama 's ambitions are fruitless if job losses mount . | [[1120, 1138], [1141, 1224], [313, 409], [332, 409], [1627, 1758], [1627, 1692], [1714, 1771], [2817, 2897], [2833, 2873], [2879, 2897]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Taping of `` The Real Housewives of Atlanta '' reunion special , scheduled for last week , has been postponed as the cast deals with the death of Kandi Burruss ' former fiancé , Ashley `` A.J. '' Jewell , an NBC Universal spokeswoman told CNN Monday . The Atlanta `` Housewives '' have been touched by tragedy this season with a loved one 's death . The show is now winding down its second season on the network , and the two-part episode was expected to air on October 29 and November 5 . Cast member and purported `` sixth housewife '' Dwight Eubanks told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he was `` shocked '' when he heard of Jewell 's passing but does expect the taping to resume eventually . `` I do n't see them editing -LSB- Jewell -RSB- out , '' he told the newspaper . `` It 's television . It 's reality . We just have to prepare and gear up for next year . '' So far , Bravo has n't erased Jewell 's presence from the series . Although scenes with Jewell were n't a part of last Thursday 's episode , `` Housewives '' viewers did watch as Kandi debated the future of her engagement to Jewell with castmate Kim . Blog : What happened on `` Housewives '' But commercials for this Thursday 's episode showed clips from therapy sessions with Burruss , her mother and Jewell . Eubanks told the Journal-Constitution that he does n't know if Burruss will continue with the `` Housewives '' or not . `` She 's had such a dramatic year , '' Eubanks said . `` She had her uncle die , too . She has her own career to focus on . Now her life has changed with her daughter and taking temporary custody of -LSB- A.J. 's -RSB- twins . '' Jewell , who died at 34 after a fight outside of an Atlanta strip club on October 3 , was buried on October 9 . | `` Real Housewives of Atlanta '' was scheduled to tape reunion special last week . Taping has been postponed in aftermath of death of A.J. Jewell . Jewell was former fiancé of `` Housewives '' cast member Kandi Burruss . Jewell 's presence still part of show , which was taped weeks ago . | [[0, 15], [84, 107], [0, 15], [110, 194], [0, 15], [110, 194], [904, 961]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michael Jackson 's father wants a judge to order the pop star 's estate to pay him a monthly allowance , according to papers filed in court Friday . Joe Jackson , the 80-year-old Jackson family patriarch , was not named in Michael Jackson 's 2002 will , which left his wealth to his mother , Katherine Jackson , his three children and undisclosed charities . Brian Oxman , Joe Jackson 's lawyer , filed the petition Friday asking for him to be included in the family allowance . The matter will be considered Tuesday when Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff convenes the next hearing on matters related to the probate of Jackson 's will , Oxman said . The filing does not publicly specify how much Jackson 's father is requesting . Howard Weitzman , one of the lawyers for the estate 's special administrators , said Joe Jackson 's request `` will be considered as are all requests for money from Michael 's estate . '' `` It was quite surprising to learn of the request , '' Weitzman said . Michael Jackson 's mother and his three children receive a court-ordered allowance from the estate totaling more than $ 86,000 a month , according to court documents . The money is in addition to the maintenance of the home -- which is owned by the estate -- in Encino , California , where Katherine Jackson lives with her grandchildren , the papers said . Although Joe and Katherine Jackson are still married , Joe Jackson lives in Las Vegas , Nevada . Joe Jackson is credited with launching and guiding his family 's show business success , but Michael Jackson had publicly criticized his father 's parenting skills . Tuesday 's hearing could also see a new challenge by the Jackson family of the 2002 will . Michael Jackson died June 25 , but the probate of his will has been slowed by a series of court squabbles between Katherine Jackson 's lawyers and the two men now in control of the estate . John Branca and John McClain , who are named as executors in the will , were appointed temporary special administrators to run the estate until the process is completed . Katherine Jackson replaced the lawyers representing her in the estate case last month with attorney Adam Streisand . Another Jackson family lawyer said the change was made because the case was about to take a `` new direction '' based on `` new evidence '' uncovered by the family . Attorney Londell McMillan pointed to questions about the authenticity of the signature on Michael Jackson 's will . Tuesday 's estate hearing will be Streisand 's first appearance in the case . A trial has been tentatively set for December to decide any challenge of the will , although Streisand said last month he expected it to be set for early next year . The A&E network announced Friday that `` The Jacksons : A Family Dynasty '' television series will launch with two hours of programming on Sunday night , December 13 . Four of Michael Jackson 's brothers -- all except Randy Jackson -- are involved in the show `` as they prepare for a Jackson Five reunion , while also coming to terms with Michael 's tragic loss , '' the network said . An A&E programming executive said the `` deeply intimate portrait will provide viewers with a raw and honest look inside a musical dynasty . '' | Joe Jackson , who was left out of will , wants judge to give him allowance . Michael 's mother , Katherine , Michael 's children get bulk of the estate . Michael Jackson had publicly criticized his father 's parenting skills . | [[76, 146], [1051, 1149], [1051, 1099], [1188, 1218], [1598, 1670]] |
-LRB- OPRAH.com -RRB- -- He can saw himself in half , sing a selection of Broadway showtunes and swing on a flying trapeze . Neil Patrick Harris says he 'll try to make viewers feel like they 're in good hands with him as Emmy host . When Neil Patrick Harris , one of the stars of the hit CBS sitcom `` How I Met Your Mother , '' is n't dabbling in the extraordinary , well , he 's probably hosting an awards show . In the late '80s , Neil -- known as NPH to his fans -- landed the starring role on `` Doogie Howser , M.D. '' After years of child stardom and teen heartthrob status , Neil left the small screen for the stage . He became a respected Broadway actor , starring in shows like `` Rent , '' `` Cabaret '' and `` Proof , '' before returning to television . Now , millions know Neil as Barney Stinson , the womanizing , slap-happy sidekick on `` How I Met Your Mother , '' which begins its fifth season September 21 . Like Billy Crystal and Johnny Carson before him , this man-of-many-talents is also making his mark as an awards show host . On Sunday , September 20 , Neil will host the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards . He shares his thoughts on fate , finding balance and making out with his co-star . Kari Forsee : How are you preparing for Emmy night ? Neil Patrick Harris : I 'm just trying to make sure all the comedy host elements are in place . We 'll have a good opening bit and a couple surprise things throughout . We want to balance respecting the show and the doling out of the awards with the sort of random things that will keep the audience 's attention in other ways . So that 's kind of been my job . You want to make it unique and , yet , classic . That 's a tricky dynamic . Oprah.com : Planning an Emmys party ? Get 4 entertaining solutions . KF : I can imagine . How often are you rehearsing ? NPH : Well , it 's sort of a litany of e-mails and phone calls all day with the producers . We had a great opening short film we are going to shoot , and it would be the first thing you shot . That was going to be with Alec Baldwin , and he withdrew at the last minute . So that got scrapped , and we 're off to plan D , E or F. It 's sort of like now you go : `` That 's fantastic , great . We 've got that person , '' or `` Oh , that person did n't work . Now what do we do ? '' A lot of `` now what do we do ? '' questions . KF : Now at the Tony Awards , you sang a , may I say , legendary closing number . Will you be singing at the Emmys , or is dancing more the focus ? NPH : I suspect you wo n't see me dancing very much . That 's not my forte . But yeah , I might throw some sort of singing into it . I have n't quite decided . I sort of feel like the Emmys are so classy and glamorous and black tie , the host really needs to respect his job title . I think too much `` Look at me ! Look at me ! '' as the host of a show that big is counterproductive . So long as I make you feel confident that you 're in good hands with me as the host , then it 's my real responsibility to introduce you to a lot of other people and elements -- other presenters who are then going to talk to you or other introductions of next sections . That 's my role . It 's not really to be a song-and-dance man . KF : Did you look back at past Emmy hosts for inspiration ? NPH : Very much . Steve Allen hosted the first televised awards , which was the 7th Annual Emmy Awards , in , I think , 1955 , and he was great . That was sort of my inspiration for all of this . He just had such a dry wit , a commanding voice , a great presence . You knew when you were watching it that if something went wrong , you could look to him , and he would steer you through it . It was always with great dignity and a dry sense of humor , and he was sort of out there all the time . He was definitely the `` host . '' He definitely helped the show , so I like that . Johnny Carson , too , was great . KF : Hypothetically , what would you do if your name was called for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series this year ? NPH : Oh my , I would graciously accept , try to keep my speech to a minimum , and then quickly set it backstage , because I have a lot more to do for the next couple hours . KF : Is the award given out early on in the show ? NPH : I think it will be within the first hour . It 's a nice and refreshing win-win for me , because if I do happen to win , it will be awesome-tastic , and oddly , a bit of a distraction . And if I do n't win , it just provides lots of comedy fodder for the rest of the show . So I 'm pretty safe either way . It 's a tough category , for sure . KF : So the day after the Emmys , a new season of `` How I Met Your Mother '' premieres . Last season 's finale left us wondering if your character , Barney Stinson , will finally settle down and start dating Robin Scherbatsky . NPH : They certainly take a stab at it . I know there will be lots of necking and making out . Lots of canoodling between Robin and I. My lips are chapped . They have strong physical chemistry , apparently . KF : `` How I Met Your Mother '' puts a lot of stake in fate . Are you a believer in fate ? NPH : I do n't know what to make of fate . I certainly do n't think you can predetermine things . It feels like if you go out of your way to try to make something happen , it rarely does . But if you allow for good things to happen , they seem to . I think a lot of that is more perception , you know ? A lot of people would take getting rear-ended in their car as an example of why their life continues to be one road block after another , and I think a different person can see that same fender bender and be grateful it was n't worse . That allows them an opportunity to learn something from it -- sort of take some sort of positive elements from that . I think if you try to angle your life in those ways , then fate , destiny , karma opens itself up to you and allows for more growth . Oprah.com : How to get lucky in love and life . KF : I 'm curious , how did your father meet your mother ? NPH : They were college , fraternity and sorority sweethearts . This was in Albuquerque . She was in Alpha Chi Omega . And he was in , something Pi ? They did the whole , you know , he gave her his pin . She was pinned , and they were a couple . Then , they were married , and they 've only been with each other . I 'm very extraordinarily lucky with my parents . ... We did n't have a lot of money growing up , but we were never made to feel poor . They had amazing senses of humor , senses of music and really treated us like regular people when we were kids . So I lucked out . KF : Did your parents help you survive child stardom ? NPH : They were definitely grounding forces during years in my life that were very tumultuous . They 're remarkably grounded and were not at all blinded by the light of stardom and fame . Their main concern was just my well-being and my brother 's well-being during all of our crazy times , whether they be intimate or very public . They 're remarkable people . Oprah.com : Get your fall TV premiere guide ! By Kari Forsee from Oprah.com © 2009 . Subscribe to O , The Oprah Magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . That 's like getting 18 issues FREE . Subscribe now ! TM & © 2009 Harpo Productions , Inc. . All Rights Reserved . | Neil Patrick Harris taking classy route at Emmys Sunday night . `` How I Met Your Mother '' actor may do some singing , probably no dancing . `` Mother '' begins new season ; Harris ' Barney character gets physical with Robin . | [[1051, 1060], [1078, 1125], [2503, 2550], [2585, 2629]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Four days of heavy rains triggered a landslide that killed 12 children and eight adults near Mount Kilimanjaro in northern Tanzania , authorities said Friday . Five of the children were under six , said Suzan Kaganda , a police department spokeswoman . The death toll could go up as rescue crews search the area for people reported missing , Kaganda said . Most victims of the late Tuesday landslide live in the Kilimanjaro region near the mountain by the same name , Kaganda said . The mountain is the highest peak in Africa and is a major tourist attraction . U.N. officials warned last month that east Africa is facing mudslides , crop destruction and waterborne diseases as a result of heavy downpour triggered by El Nino weather patterns . Most east African countries have been water-starved in the past few years , exacerbating the results of floods , because a lot of greenery disappeared in the drought . | Most victims of the landslide live in the Kilimanjaro region near the mountain by the same name . U.N. warned east Africa is facing mudslides , crop destruction and waterborne diseases related to El Nino weather patterns . The mountain is the highest peak in Africa and is a major tourist attraction . | [[376, 467], [581, 723], [709, 763], [502, 514], [549, 580]] |
SEOUL , South Korea -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- South Korea bade farewell to former President Kim Dae-Jung Sunday in a ceremony attended by thousands of citizens , dignitaries and politicians . South Korean Buddhist monks pray in front of a portrait of former president Kim Dae-jung during his funeral Sunday . The solemn Sunday afternoon ceremony was held outside parliament , with a large portrait of Kim placed on a shrine surrounded by flowers . The funeral followed six days of mourning for Kim , who died Tuesday of a heart failure . Kim 's age at the time of his death was in dispute , with some reports saying he was 85 while others placing it at 83 . Kim 's state funeral was the second such ever given in the country , South Korea 's Yonhap news agency said . Another president , Park Chung-hee , was also accorded a state funeral after his assassination while in office in 1979 . Kim -- who was president from 1998 to 2003 -- won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for trying to foster better relations with North Korea . The watershed moment of his presidency came in June 2000 when he met North Korean leader Kim Jong Il , becoming the first South Korean leader to do so since the Korean War unofficially ended in 1953 . But rapproachment talks between the two sides hit a wall after conservative South Korean President Lee Myung-bak took office in early 2008 with a tougher stance toward the North than Kim and his successor , Roh Moo-hyun . Ahead of the funeral , President Lee met with a visiting North Korean delegation , who delivered a message from Kim Jong Il expressing hopes for improved relations between the two countries . Lee , in turn , reiterated his government 's firm stance , presidential spokesman Lee Dong-kwan was quoted as saying by Yonhap . But in a possible sign that icy relations between the two rival nations are nevertheless thawing , South Korean Unification Minister Hyun In Taek met with North Korean unity leader Kim Yang Gon on Saturday . It was the first high-level , cross-border contact in nearly two years . The meetings between officials of the two Koreas are in stark contrast to the tense public statements they made about each other earlier this year . Tensions between the two were heightened in July when North Korea launched seven short-range missiles toward the Sea of Japan . The launches came after North Korea conducted a nuclear test on May 25 and threatened the United States and South Korean ships near its territorial waters . South Korea condemned the action , calling the launches `` provocative '' and `` unwise . '' CNN 's Jake Perez contributed to this report . | South Korea bade farewell to former President Kim Dae-Jung . Kim won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for fostering better relations with the North . Report : Top unification officials of the rival nations met Saturday . North Korean delegation in Seoul to mourn the death of Kim Dae-Jung . | [[45, 64], [882, 885], [928, 1018], [1862, 1970], [1465, 1522], [1488, 1522], [1529, 1565]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The second installment in the `` Twilight '' saga , starring Robert Pattinson as vampire Edward Cullen , Kristen Stewart as his star-crossed love and Taylor Lautner as the wolfboy who loves her , has already ripped through a box office record . According to Hollywood trade magazine Variety , `` New Moon '' is the biggest midnight showing in history , grossing $ 26.3 million when it opened in 3,514 theaters at 12:01 a.m. Friday . The film even surpassed the supernatural cinema force that is `` Harry Potter , '' collecting more than the $ 22.2 million that `` Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince '' earned during its midnight showing this summer . `` New Moon '' has also easily beaten its own predecessor , `` Twilight , '' which earned $ 36 million on opening day last year . And while `` Twilight 's '' opening weekend was $ 69.7 million , early reports are that `` New Moon '' will do even better . But along with the ticket sales bounty is backlash . The Vatican released an announcement Friday denouncing the film , which is based on Stephenie Meyer 's blockbuster series . `` This film is nothing more than a moral vacuum with a deviant message and as such should be of concern , '' warns the Vatican 's culture council leader , Monsignor Franco Perazzolo , in a statement timed to the release of `` New Moon , '' according to E! Online . `` This theme of vampires in ` Twilight ' combines a mixture of excesses , '' he continued , `` that , as ever , is aimed at young people and gives a heavy esoteric element . '' Yet the kids these days appear to dig the `` excesses '' of `` Twilight . '' Still , only time will tell if `` New Moon '' will also outsell the current `` best opening day '' titleholder , `` The Dark Knight , '' which grossed $ 67.2 million when it opened July 18 , 2008 . | `` New Moon '' grossed $ 26.3 million from midnight showings alone . The vampire romance is set to surpass `` Twilight '' for first-day sales . But with sales comes backlash ; the Vatican has spoken out against `` New Moon '' Only time will tell if it will also surpass `` The Dark Knight '' for `` best opening day '' | [[312, 395], [312, 313], [372, 451], [933, 981], [982, 1045], [1627, 1632], [1635, 1737]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Somali pirates demanded a $ 7 million ransom for a British couple kidnapped aboard their yacht last week , a British agency said Friday . The British government says it wo n't pay . `` The government will not make substantive concessions for hostage takers , including the payments of ransom , '' the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office said . Paul and Rachel Chandler , who were snatched last week from their yacht in the Indian Ocean , had been held aboard a Singaporean cargo ship hijacked by pirates . They have been moved to a hijacked Spanish ship that pirates have stocked with more supplies and armed men , a local journalist in contact with the pirates said Friday . The pirates moved them to the Spanish vessel after elders in the Somali town of Haradhere refused a pirate request to allow the Chandlers ashore , the journalist said . The journalist 's identity is not being disclosed for security reasons . After hours of negotiation , the couple spoke with Rachel Chandler 's brother , Stephen Collett , on Friday -- a phone conversation that was videotaped by CNN 's British affiliate ITN . In the conversation , Rachel Chandler confirmed only that they had been moved from the Singaporean cargo ship , but not their current location , the network reported . `` We 're managing . They tell us that we 're safe and that we should n't worry and that if we want anything , they will provide it in terms of food and , you know , water , '' an emotional Rachel Chandler told Collett . `` They 're very hospitable people , so do n't worry . ... Physically we 're fine ; physically , we 're healthy . '' Paul Chandler spoke slowly and carefully in the interview : . `` Rachel and I are here . We are fine , '' he told Collett . `` We know nothing here . It is nice to speak to you . I can only say we are well and that 's as far as I can say . '' Collett read a message to the captors , asking them to release his sister and her husband to show `` your compassionate nature . '' ITN reporter Angus Walker noted that Paul Chandler 's tone sounded more strained than during their conversation Thursday , when he laughed at one point and sounded more relaxed . In their Thursday conversation , Chandler told ITN that men with guns had boarded the couple 's yacht , demanding money and taking everything of value . Paul Chandler spoke later with the BBC 's Somali Service , reportedly saying , `` We are well and being looked after OK . '' He said they were being fed and `` food is OK at the moment . '' The pirates abandoned the Chandlers ' yacht , the 38-foot Lynn Rival , which the British Royal Navy found drifting in international waters Thursday . The Chandlers set off from the Seychelles islands on October 21 bound for Tanzania , according to their blog . A distress beacon was activated on October 23 , according to naval officials . Britain 's Foreign Office said it has been in close contact with the couple 's family . Pirates have been very active off the east coast of Africa in the past several years , operating out of lawless Somalia . Two vessels were attacked the day after the Chandlers set sail . One of them -- a cargo ship -- was successfully boarded and seized off the Seychelles , while the other fought off its attackers near the Kenyan coast . Thursday , pirates attacked and boarded a Thai-flagged fishing vessel about 200 miles north of the Seychelles , according to the European Union Naval Force . Attacks in the region have significantly increased this year , according to the International Maritime Bureau , which monitors shipping crimes . But successful attacks have gone down as a result of a strong presence of international monitors . The first nine months of this year has seen more pirate attacks than all of last year , the bureau reported October 21 . From January 1 through September 30 , pirates worldwide mounted 306 attacks , compared with 293 in all of 2008 , it said . More than half of this year 's attacks were carried out by suspected Somali pirates off the east coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden , a major shipping route between Yemen and Somalia . Out of those attacks , Somali pirates successfully hijacked 32 vessels and took 533 hostages . Eight people were wounded , four were killed and one is missing , the bureau said . | NEW : British government says it wo n't pay ransom . Pirates move kidnapped British couple to hijacked Spanish ship . Pirate source says ship has more men and weapons on board . British couple left Seychelles for Tanzania on October 21 . | [[157, 200], [185, 200], [529, 576], [699, 788], [553, 635], [2680, 2762]] |
TOKYO , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Even before one reaches the front door of Canon 's headquarters in Tokyo , one can sense the virtual stampede of employees pouring out of the building exactly at 5:30 p.m. Japan 's birth rate of 1.34 is below the level needed to maintain the country 's population . In a country where 12-hour workdays are common , the electronics giant has taken to letting its employees leave early twice a week for a rather unusual reason : to encourage them to have more babies . Japan is in the midst of an unprecedented recession , so corporations are being asked to work toward fixing another major problem : the country 's low birthrate . Tell us what you think . At 1.34 , the birthrate is well below the 2.0 needed to maintain Japan 's population , according to the country 's Ministry of Health , Labor and Welfare . Keidanren , Japan 's largest business group , with 1,300 major international corporations as members , has issued a plea to its members to let workers go home early to spend time with their families and help Japan with its pressing social problem . Watch more on this story . One reason for the low birth rate is the 12-hour workday . But there are several other factors compounding the problem -- among them , the high cost of living , and social rigidity toward women and parenting . In addition , Japan 's population is aging at a faster pace than any other country in the world . Analysts say the world 's second-largest economy faces its greatest threat from its own social problems , rather than outside forces . And the country desperately needs to make some fixes to its current social and work structures , sociologists say . The 5:30 p.m. lights-out program is one simple step toward helping address the population problem . It also has an added benefit : Amid the global economic downturn the company can slash overtime across the board twice a week . `` It 's great that we can go home early and not feel ashamed , '' said employee Miwa Iwasaki . | Japanese electronics maker Canon encourages workers to have more babies . Japan 's birthrate of 1.34 is below 2.0 needed to maintain its population . Country 's population is also aging faster than any other in the world . | [[348, 351], [460, 499], [205, 251], [242, 298], [688, 695], [698, 733], [726, 772], [1344, 1427]] |
Editor 's note : Gloria Borger is a senior political analyst for CNN , appearing regularly on CNN 's `` The Situation Room , '' `` Campbell Brown , '' `` AC360 ° '' and `` State of the Union With John King '' as well as other programs during special event coverage . Gloria Borger says President Obama 's plans are running into Americans ' widespread mistrust of government . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- So now comes the hard part . Now that a key Senate committee has finally moved a health care bill , President Obama can get to work to try and figure out a final version of reform . Now that Gen. Stanley McChrystal has recommended a large troop buildup in Afghanistan -- setting off an internal debate about recalibrating strategy -- the president can decide what he wants to do about the war . And now that the stock market is on the rebound -- while unemployment remains high -- Obama can figure out how to come up with a `` son of stimulus '' package that targets jobs . Tough decisions are part of the president 's job description , after all . But here 's the tricky part : how to convince the public that you -- and government -- will do the right thing , or are even capable of it . Sure , distrust of government is as old as government itself . And there 's an inherent conflict in current public thinking , as scholars William Galston and Elaine Kamarck point out : While people want government to solve big problems like health care , they do n't trust the government to do it . `` There is nothing new about this ambivalence , '' they write in an essay aptly titled `` Change you can believe in requires a government you can trust . '' They write , `` But how ... the president deals with it may make the difference between success and failure . '' So what 's a president with a big agenda to do ? He could have narrowed it , but instead decided to play `` all-in . '' Because he was so popular , and because voters were so ready for a change , there was some thought the country might buy into the notion that good leadership could actually change the ethos of bad government . Obama probably believed it , too . So when the economic stimulus package was hatched , with hardly a Republican vote , the White House remained hopeful that , in the end , its success would restore confidence in their work . And they have since toiled mightily to brag about the stimulus package as evidence that government can work . After all , if FDR could do it , why not Barack Obama ? Instead , the stimulus has become a handy target . Wall Street may be doing well , both conservatives and liberals rail , but the jobs elsewhere are not coming back . And as the president now moves to ask the nation to support an overhaul of health care , voters are still asking : Why should we trust the government to do that ? Consider these numbers : At the end of the Bush administration -- with an unpopular president -- just 17 percent of the American public trusted the government to `` do the right thing '' all or most of the time . And for all of the popularity of Barack Obama , that number now stands at a measly 23 percent . After Bill Clinton lost health care reform -- and control of the Congress -- trust in government in 1994 was at an all-time low : 21 percent . We 're almost there now . Ronald Reagan understood , and used to his benefit , the antipathy toward government . He used to joke that the scariest words in the lexicon were `` I 'm from the government and I 'm here to help . '' He wanted to make government smaller , and his overall success with that notion prompted President Clinton to famously tell Congress `` the era of big government is over . '' Well , it 's back . The question is whether President Obama can convince us that more government is what we want -- and need . As Reagan once told us , `` Trust , but verify . '' If only we could . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Gloria Borger . | Borger : Now the heat is on Obama to make crucial decisions . She says White House bet that Americans would become more pro-government . She says reality is that most people are still distrustful of government . Borger : Can Obama convince people that we need more government ? | [[267, 375], [281, 375], [1440, 1483], [3697, 3787]] |
Beijing , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In some of the photos , the young children are wearing bibs and slight smiles can be seen on their chubby faces . But these are not your normal baby pictures . The Chinese government is trying to find the parents of these 60 homeless children , some of them so young that they had not yet developed the strength to hold their own heads up . This week the Chinese Ministry of Public Security posted pictures of these rescued children on its Web site . Many of them had similar stories . They were kidnapped , stolen or sold and somehow had been rescued by authorities . Police tried to find their parents but could not find them through the national DNA database , state-run China Daily reported . And for the first time , the Ministry of Public Security posted their pictures . `` Even if I ca n't find my boy 's photo on the Web site today , it 's a blessing for desperate parents like us who have nearly lost hope , '' Tang Weihua , a mother who lost her 5-year-old son in 1999 , told China Daily this week . About 30,000 to 60,000 children are reported missing every year , but it is hard to estimate how many are involved in child trafficking cases , the Ministry of Public Security told China Daily . Police have rescued 2,000 children this year since China launch a nationwide anti-trafficking campaign , China Daily reported . But after rescuing the children finding the parents can prove difficult . One issue is that in some cases the parents sold the children . Earlier this week China 's state media reported that police arrested dozens in an alleged child trafficking ring that sold at least 52 babies . The traffickers bought 19 boys and 33 girls from impoverished rural families in Shanxi and Hebei provinces in the past two years , the state-run Xinhua news agency said . The ring started crumbling after three men were arrested with a baby boy in their van , Xinhua said . The three suspects said they had bought the baby from a woman and her daughter in Hebei , according to Xinhua . The women had sold 12 other babies to the men , and were arrested , Xinhua said . | China posts photos of kidnapped , stolen or sold 60 children who were rescued by authorities . Police could not find their parents through the national DNA database . 2,000 children have been rescued so far this year since China launch a nationwide anti-trafficking campaign . Earlier this week , police arrested dozens in an alleged child trafficking ring . | [[376, 450], [445, 485], [521, 525], [562, 603], [1443, 1506], [604, 610], [643, 696], [1241, 1343], [1507, 1619], [1586, 1619], [1625, 1650]] |
HAVANA , Cuba -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- New Orleans , Louisiana , Mayor Ray Nagin arrived in Cuba late Friday on a mission to learn about how to deal with storms , a spokeswoman said . Mayor Ray Nagin watches President Obama speak in New Orleans , Louisiana , on Thursday . `` We understand we may have a lot to learn from the Cubans in terms of disaster preparedness and how they have dealt with hurricanes , '' spokeswoman Ceeon Quiett said . Cuba is internationally applauded for exceptional disaster management , according to a news release from Nagin 's office . In the Cuban capital , Havana , Nagin plans to meet with several officials , including some from the Latin American Medical Centers for Disaster . He will also learn about preparations the Cuba Defense Committee makes in advance of disasters . Nagin 's trip comes a day after President Obama held a town hall meeting in New Orleans , still reeling from the aftermath of deadly Hurricane Katrina in 2005 . `` It has now been just over four years since that terrible storm struck your shores , '' the president said . `` And -LSB- in -RSB- the days after it did , this nation and all the world bore witness to the fact that the damage from Katrina was not caused just by a disaster of nature but also by a breakdown of government , that government was n't adequately prepared , and we did n't appropriately respond . '' Since Katrina , New Orleans has adjusted its disaster response with new evacuation plans . As Hurricane Gustav threatened the city last year , officials evacuated more than 18,000 residents , the release said . Three powerful hurricanes hit Cuba last year , damaging half a million homes and causing $ 10 billion in losses , according to the Cuban government . But only seven people died , thanks to a smooth evacuation plan . Some aspects of the communist nation 's response , including mandatory evacuations , may not be possible in a democracy . Still , some Americans believe that they can learn from their Caribbean neighbor . The mayor of Galveston , Texas , another city hit hard by Gulf of Mexico hurricanes , visited Cuba this year . Nagin is the first New Orleans mayor to make an official visit to Cuba in 50 years . The State Department sanctioned Nagin 's trip , Quiett said . He plans to return to New Orleans on Thursday . CNN 's David Ariosto contributed to this report . | Ray Nagin to meet with Cuban officials , learn about disaster plans . State Department sanctioned visit , mayor 's representative says . New Orleans adjusted disaster plans after Hurricane Katrina . Three hurricanes hit Cuba last year , but only seven people died . | [[561, 581], [593, 707], [708, 772], [2207, 2252], [1379, 1392], [1395, 1469], [1590, 1634], [1744, 1766]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. price tag for relief in Haiti has hit $ 170 million , the federal government announced Thursday as ton after ton of relief supplies headed into the island nation through a crucial reopened pier . The vast majority of the committed federal aid -- $ 140 million -- is from the U.S. Agency for International Development under the State Department , according to the Office of Management and Budget . And the need within Haiti -- still reeling from last week 's devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake -- only grows by the minute . After days of being closed to much needed food and supplies , the south pier at Port-au-Prince was channeling aid into the leveled capital city . The supplies were brought into Port-au-Prince on trucks traveling on a repaired gravel road leading from the port . Sidewalks were crowded with street vendors and kiosks and many small food stores were open . Dozens of stalls at a dusty market sold fruits and vegetables along a pocked and rut-filled dirt side street . A smaller market on a street corner saw some business . However , the longest and most visible lines in Haiti 's capital were not for food , water or gas -- they were for money . Earthquake survivors need cash and are waiting hours outside wire transfer businesses , including Western Union , that are starting to reopen . `` I have not eaten for two days , '' said 32-year-old Anderson Bellegarde , who waited more than six hours outside a money-wiring branch . `` I 'm only drinking water . '' Meanwhile , a Dutch Navy ship , the Pelikaan , was docked at the city 's south pier Thursday , unloading 90 tons of humanitarian aid . Two other ships had previously offloaded containers . The reopened pier is older and smaller than the north pier , which was rendered unusable by the January 12 earthquake . The south pier was damaged , but Haiti port authorities and the U.S. military were able to put it back in adequate shape . Workers also repaired the road leading into the city and laid gravel on it . Unloading of aid , however , was a slow process . The road allows only for one-way traffic , meaning a truck drives to the end of the pier , is loaded with supplies , and then drives out . Also , because of concerns about overloading the pier , only one truck is allowed on it at a time . Repairs on the pier continue , said U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Mark Gibbs . `` We 're working on it . We 've got a long ways to go . ... If we lose this pier , that 's it . We ca n't bring in anything . '' However , the reopening of the pier and the repairing of the road represented a major development in efforts to get aid to earthquake victims , in that ships can carry much more cargo than air airplanes . Authorities hope to get two-way traffic going on the pier by Friday , which would speed up the process . A 5.9-magnitude aftershock Wednesday stopped efforts at the pier for about three hours . U.S. Navy divers had to go back in the water and reassess the pier 's structural integrity , officials said . There was no immediate word if two less intense aftershocks Thursday , measured at magnitude 4.9 and 4.8 , also caused a delay . Full coverage | Twitter updates . Lt. Gen. Douglas Fraser of U.S. Southern Command announced the pier 's reopening on Thursday in Washington . Officials hope to move about 150 containers of aid Thursday and 250 on Friday . They want to increase that to 800 containers a day . The reopening comes as U.S. officials have been stung by criticism of aid efforts in recent days . Some of that criticism has been leveled by aid groups such as Doctors Without Borders , who blamed five victims ' deaths on delays , saying several flights carrying medical supplies had been diverted from the Port-au-Prince airport into the neighboring Dominican Republic . Working under adverse conditions with limited supplies , medical teams have been forced to improvise . List of missing , found in Haiti | Are you there ? | Impact Your World . Renzo Fricke , field coordinator for Doctors Without Borders told CNN this week that staffers had to buy a saw in the market so surgeons could do amputations . A CNN crew loaned a medic a pocket knife for another operation . Lacking rubbing alcohol , doctors have used vodka to sterilize equipment and instruments . Surgical patients are being given over-the-counter pain medicine because doctors lack any stronger medication . One nurse used a string of Christmas lights as a makeshift extension cord . A belt was used as a tourniquet , and when that broke , a garden hose . Canadian troops , meanwhile , were working to open an airport in Jacmel on Thursday , another step that could speed delivery of relief supplies . And U.S. Southern Command , through its component Air Force South , conducted an air drop of food and water over Mirebalais , Haiti , on Thursday . Mirebalais is 25 miles northeast of Port-au-Prince . A C-17 delivered water bottles and 17,200 meals ready to eat , the military said in a statement . Troops secured an area in which to drop the supplies and , once the supplies were on the ground , the military , the U.S. Agency for International Development and other personnel distributed them , the statement said . Nepalese troops also assisted , the Air Force said . Thursday 's air drop was the second since the quake ; the first was Monday . Fraser said Thursday that 120 to 140 flights a day are coming into the single-runway Port-au-Prince airport , compared with 25 per day just after the quake struck last week . More than 840 have landed since the airport was reopened , but there is a waiting list of 1,400 to come in , he said . A senior administration official acknowledged that not all aid , particularly medical supplies , is getting through fast enough but said that in recent days , at least half of the flights entering Haiti are carrying humanitarian supplies . Most of the other 50 percent of flights , including those of the U.S. military and foreign governments , are still carrying some kind of aid . `` Of course I 'm not satisfied with getting material and personnel in for everyone who needs it , '' U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said earlier Wednesday . `` Realistically , I am aware of the difficulties that this terrible natural disaster has posed . '' The senior administration official said that more than 300 aid distribution sites are up and running . Fraser said more than 700,000 meals and 1.4 million bottles of water have been delivered , along with 22,000 pounds of medical supplies . About 13,100 U.S. troops are in and around Haiti , nearly 2,700 on the ground and another 10,400 off shore . Many Marines spend time in Haiti during the day but sleep on ships at night . More U.S. troops are scheduled to arrive by this weekend , bringing the total to about 4,600 troops on the ground . At least 72,000 people -- including dozens of U.N. staff members -- have been confirmed dead in the earthquake , according to the country 's prime minister . International aid contributions have totaled hundreds of millions of dollars , but relief agencies working in Haiti say transportation bottlenecks and poor communications have slowed the delivery of food , water and medicine to survivors . On Wednesday , U.S. Agency for International Development administrator Rajiv Shah ordered more medicine and other supplies to be sent within the next 24 hours , the administration official said . Lt. Gen. P.K. Keen , the head of the U.S. military task force in Haiti , said any aircraft identified as carrying medical supplies would have priority for landing . They are turned away only `` if there 's no parking space on the ramp , and they do n't have sufficient fuel to hold in their holding pattern , '' he said . Another senior U.S. military official , speaking on condition of anonymity , said Wednesday that the priorities for aid flights are set `` by the government of Haiti first and then by the U.N. second . '' But the number of flights that can land at Port-au-Prince is `` a sheer issue of physics and geometry ; you just ca n't get them all in there . '' To improve the flow of air traffic , the U.S. military said Wednesday it had obtained landing rights at the Dominican Republic 's air base at San Isidro , about 135 miles -LRB- 220 kilometers -RRB- east of Port-au-Prince . The U.S. military has the ability to build dirt runways that rugged cargo planes such as the C-130 Hercules can use , but the equipment needed to build those is `` always at a premium , '' the senior official said . The military has 63 helicopters in the region , Fraser said . CNN 's Arthur Brice , Susan Candiotti , Jill Dougherty , Eric Marrapodi and Elise Labott contributed to this report . | New route allows supplies to enter Port-au-Prince . Dutch ship unloads 90 tons of humanitarian aid . U.S. official : Military sometimes confused about what the planes are carrying . Flights with medical supplies being diverted from Haiti , says Doctors Without Borders . | [[1550, 1567], [1633, 1672], [3555, 3640], [3617, 3640], [3688, 3828]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ramping up pressure on Honduras ' interim government , the United States has revoked the visa of the beleaguered country 's leader , a senior Honduran official told CNN en Espanol on Saturday . Roberto Micheletti and his supporters say Honduras underwent a constitutional transfer of power , not a coup . De facto President Roberto Micheletti and 14 supreme court judges had their visas revoked , said Honduran Foreign Minister Carlos Lopez . Lopez said he , too , lost his visa privileges . The U.S. State Department recently announced that it would pull the visas of members of Honduras ' de facto regime . In recent weeks , the United States has stepped up its call for the current Honduran government to restore ousted President Jose Manuel Zelaya to power . Zelaya was seized by the Honduran military in his pajamas and sent into exile on June 28 . On Wednesday , the board of the Millennium Challenge Corporation , a U.S. government agency , voted to cut $ 11 million in aid to the government in Honduras , senior State Department officials told CNN . Prior to the vote , the board had only suspended the aid , the State Department said . The Millennium Challenge Account is a program started under the Bush administration to reward good governance . The agency 's cuts followed an announcement last week by the United States that it was terminating all nonhumanitarian aid to Honduras to pressure the interim government to end the political turmoil and accept the terms of an agreement known as the San Jose Accord . The accord calls for Zelaya 's return to power . The political crisis stemmed from Zelaya 's plan to hold a referendum that could have changed the constitution and allowed longer term limits . The country 's congress had outlawed the vote and the supreme court had ruled it illegal . Micheletti and his supporters say that Zelaya 's removal was a constitutional transfer of power and not a coup . The United Nations has condemned Zelaya 's ouster and does not recognize Michiletti 's government . While the United States has called Zelaya 's ouster a coup , it has not formally designated it a `` military coup , '' which , under U.S. law , would have triggered a cutoff of all non-humanitarian aid regardless . Senior State Department officials said the Obama administration was reluctant to make the formal designation in order to preserve its flexibility for a diplomatic solution . A presidential campaign in Honduras kicked off last week . However , the United States said it would not support the outcome of the elections unless Zelaya was restored to power . CNN en Espanol 's Maria Elisa Callejas contributed to this report . | Honduran official : De facto president , 14 supreme court judges had visas revoked . U.S. State Department had announced it would pull visas of the regime . President Jose Manuel Zelaya was ousted on June 28 and sent into exile . U.N. has condemned the move and does not recognize de facto government . | [[72, 149], [324, 413], [324, 389], [416, 461], [511, 627], [556, 627], [72, 149], [511, 627], [556, 627], [782, 788], [844, 872], [1940, 1989], [1940, 1958], [1994, 2039]] |
JERUSALEM -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Israel of Germany 's `` Holocaust shame , '' and asserted its support for the Jewish state during an unprecedented speech to the Knesset on Tuesday . Germany and Israel are linked `` in a very special way '' by the memory of the Holocaust , in which 6 million Jews were killed under Nazi Germany and its allies in World War II , she said in the first address a German chancellor has ever made to the Knesset . `` The Holocaust fills us with shame , '' she said . `` I bow my head before the survivors and I bow my head before you in tribute to the fact that you were able to survive . '' Anti-Semitism , racism and xenophobia `` must never take root again in Germany or in Europe , '' she said , and vowed to battle any flare-ups . Speaking to the Knesset , Angela Merkel also spoke of Germany 's unwavering support for Israel calling the Iranian president 's nuclear ambitions `` a major danger '' not only to Israel , but to the world as well . The German Chancellor called on him to prove that he does not want a nuclear bomb . Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said his country 's nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes only , but Merkel told the Israeli parliament that he needs to provide clear evidence supporting that assertion . `` It is not the world that has to prove that Iran is building a bomb , '' she said . `` Rather , Iran has to prove to the world that it does not want the nuclear bomb . '' Ahmadinejad has also said Israel should not exist as a sovereign nation , but Merkel said Israel 's right to exist is not open to negotiation . `` These are not just empty words , '' she said , adding that Germany would support further sanctions on Iran if it fails to cooperate . `` What do we do when a majority says the greatest threat to the world comes from Israel and not from Iran ? '' she asked . `` Do we bow our heads ? Do we give up our efforts to combat the Iranian threat ? However inconvenient and uncomfortable the alternative is , we do not do that . '' `` If we were to do that , then we would not have understood our historical responsibility , nor would we be able to properly develop a way to deal with the challenges of our day , and both options would be lethal . '' Watch German Chancellor Angela Merkel address the Knesset '' Merkel said she supports the two-state solution to the Mideast conflict , discussed last November by the key parties in Annapolis , Maryland . It calls for Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side in separate states . She called rocket attacks by Palestinians into Israel `` a crime , '' and said they do nothing to solve the conflict . But she noted that effecting a two-state solution would require `` strength to make painful compromises . '' E-mail to a friend . | German Chancellor has told the Knesset of Germany 's `` Holocaust shame '' Angela Merkel became first German chancellor to address Israeli parliament . She called on Iran to prove it did not want the bomb . Merkel said she supports the two-state solution to the Mideast conflict . | [[0, 19], [29, 99], [479, 512], [2285, 2345], [425, 475], [2285, 2345], [1013, 1096], [2346, 2417]] |
Santiago , Chile -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived Tuesday morning in Chile , bringing with her more than two dozen satellite phones and a pledge of U.S. commitment to the earthquake-damaged nation . `` The United States is ready to respond to the requests that the government of Chile has made so we can provide not only solidarity but specific supplies that are needed to help you recover from the earthquake , '' Clinton said at a brief news conference with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet . `` The people of Chile are responding with resilience and strength , '' Clinton said . The secretary of state said she brought with her 25 satellite phones , one of which she presented to Bachelet at the news conference . Eight water purification units are on their way to Chile , Clinton said , and the United States will provide a mobile field hospital unit with surgical capabilities . The United States will also work to provide autonomous dialysis machines , electricity generators , medical supplies and portable bridges , Clinton said . The secretary of state also said that Americans would be told how they can contribute to the recovery effort . In addition to meeting with Bachelet at the airport in Santiago , Clinton also met with President-elect Sebastian Piñera , who will be sworn in next week . `` I have been visiting sites of disaster for more than 30 years ... -LSB- and -RSB- it is very clear to me that Chile is much better prepared , much quicker to respond , more able to do so , '' Clinton said at a news conference with the president-elect . She congratulated Piñera , a conservative billionaire businessman , on his inauguration . Piñera extended an invitation to President Obama to visit Chile . Bachelet leaves office with high approval ratings for having steered the country through the global economic downturn and promoted progressive social reforms . Clinton is in the midst of a six-nation tour of Latin America , planned before the earthquake . She attended Monday 's inauguration in Uruguay of President Jose Mujica , and then traveled to Buenos Aires , Argentina , to meet with President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner . Clinton next travels to Brazil , where she is expected to talk with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva about his planned trip to Iran . The United States and other nations believe Iran has undertaken a program to build nuclear weapons , an assertion Iran denies . She will stop in Costa Rica for meetings with President Oscar Arias and President-elect Laura Chinchilla , who takes office in May . She also will attend Pathways for Prosperity , a meeting of hemispheric officials . The initiative includes such things as `` microcredit '' loans and ways in which women can be empowered , a State Department spokesman has said . Clinton 's final stop will be Guatemala . She will meet with Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom and leaders of other Central American countries and the Dominican Republic before returning to Washington . The State Department has `` strongly '' urged U.S. citizens to avoid tourism and non-essential travel to Chile after the massive earthquake . | Hillary Clinton brings satellite phones on visit to Chile , promises mobile field hospital . U.S. secretary of state meets with Chilean officials three days after massive earthquake . Clinton 's trip , planned before the quake , includes five other Latin American countries . | [[11, 32], [111, 232], [619, 687], [1915, 1976], [1915, 1922], [1979, 2010]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fighting in the volatile Sudanese region of Darfur has sparked another wave of refugees into Chad and left a Red Cross employee dead , according to international agencies . Refugee camps in eastern Chad house about 300,000 people who fled violence in the Darfur region of Sudan . The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said on Monday that more than 12,000 people have fled militia attacks over the last few days from Sudan 's Darfur region to neighboring Chad , still recovering from a recent attempt by rebels there to topple the government . `` Most of the new arrivals in Chad had already been displaced in Darfur in recent years . They are really tired of being attacked and having to move , '' said UNHCR 's Jorge Holly . `` All the new refugees we talked to said they did not want to go back to Darfur at this point , they wanted to be transferred to a refugee camp in eastern Chad . '' This latest influx of refugees in Chad aggravates an already deteriorating security situation across this politically unstable region of Africa . Before the latest flight into Chad , the UNHCR and its partner groups `` were taking care of 240,000 Sudanese refugees in 12 camps in eastern Chad and some 50,000 from Central African Republic in the south of the country . '' Up to 30,000 people in Chad fled the country for Cameroon during the rebel-government fighting . The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Monday that one of its employees was killed in western Darfur last week during fighting . The victim is a 45-year-old Sudanese national and father of six children . He was killed in the area of Seleia , one of the three towns where reported government-backed Janjaweed militia attacks on Friday left around 200 people dead . U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last week deplored the acts , urged all parties to stop hostilities , and said `` all parties must adhere to international humanitarian law , which prohibits military attacks against civilians . '' The United Nations says `` more than 200,000 people have been killed and 2.2 million others forced to flee their homes since fighting began in 2003 among government forces , rebel groups and allied militia groups known as the Janjaweed . '' The recent fight between Chad 's government and rebels is seen as a proxy war over Darfur . Sudan 's government believes Chad is supporting rebels in Darfur . Chad 's government believes Sudan is supporting the rebels that moved on Chad 's capital of N'Djamena . E-mail to a friend . | Aid agencies say 12,000 people have crossed to Chad in last few days . Red Cross says one of its employees killed in western Darfur . Rebel fighting in Chad seen as a proxy war over Darfur crisis . Darfur wracked by factional violence for five years . | [[0, 15], [154, 191], [299, 479], [0, 15], [121, 151], [1382, 1524], [1442, 1524], [2234, 2325], [0, 15], [19, 69]] |
Cusco , Peru -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities in Peru have rescued the last of hundreds of travelers who had been stranded by flooding in a town near one of South America 's most popular tourist destinations , a government official said Friday . Tourism Minister Martin Perez said 1,460 tourists were evacuated from Aguas Calientes , bringing the total rescued during the past three days to 4,005 -- 3,500 of them tourists . Thirteen helicopters in 268 flights took them to the city of Cusco , though one group of Colombians indicated they had not wanted to leave , he said . Days of heavy rain had triggered flash floods and landslides around Machu Picchu , the ruins of an Incan settlement in southern Peru 's Andes Mountains . The floods closed roads , bridges and rail lines , stranding tourists from around the world in the small town closest to the ruins . They also killed at least seven people , including an Argentine tourist , according to news reports . The tourists became stranded after a landslide early in the week blocked a rail line to Cusco , the nearest major city , said Martin Perez , Peru 's minister of foreign trade and tourism , according to the state-run Andina news agency . Peruvian authorities said they have given priority to children , the elderly and the ill , regardless of their nationality . Authorities estimated that 10,000 people were affected by the rain and 2,000 homes were ruined in and around Machu Picchu . The Peruvian government declared a state of emergency in two regions around Machu Picchu -- Cusco and Apurimac . The floods have damaged thousands of acres of crop land , washed out about a dozen bridges and damaged several highways . Don Jacinto , whose parents and grandparents lived in one affected area , said his relatives could not recall the rivers ever raging so strongly . Machu Picchu is an ancient city on a mountain in the Andes , standing 8,000 feet -LRB- 2,430 meters -RRB- above sea level in a tropical mountain forest . Known as the `` Lost City of the Incas , '' Machu Picchu attracts tens of thousands of international tourists every year . CNN 's Maria Elena Belaunde in Cusco and journalist Claudia Cisneros in Lima contributed to this report . | NEW : Last of tourists stranded by flooding are evacuated , a government official said Friday . NEW : The total rescued during the past three days was 4,005 , tourism minister says . Days of heavy rain had triggered flash floods and landslides in southern Peru . At least seven people killed in flooding , reports say . | [[0, 5], [8, 98], [86, 205], [208, 243], [728, 738], [779, 860], [244, 267], [332, 394], [574, 654], [861, 865], [871, 932]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After being photographed using an inhaler prior to extra-time in his MLS Cup Final , the news that David Beckham has been an asthma sufferer since childhood has propelled the condition into the limelight . The England midfielder is not the first high-profile athlete to have dealt with asthma , a respiratory condition that affects people 's airways -- the small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs . Despite the difficulties of performing with asthmatic symptoms such as wheezing , shortness of breath and coughing , many athletes have dealt still managed to reach the peak of their respective disciplines . Read up on asthma in our health section A-Z . NBA star Dennis Rodman , footballer Frank Lampard and Olympic swimmers Nancy Hogsehead and Mark Spitz have all suffered from the condition , here are five more of sport 's most high-profile asthmatics . 1 . Paul Scholes . Beckham 's ex-Manchester United teammate Paul Scholes was diagnosed with asthma when he was 21-years-old . One of England 's most well respected midfielders , despite keeping a low-profile in general Scholes has always been happy to raise awareness about asthma . In May 2009 he along with fellow English midfielder and asthma sufferer Frank Lampard took part in Asthma UK 's campaign to `` put asthma in the limelight . '' 2 . Justine Henin . Prior to announcing her -LRB- temporary -RRB- retirement in May 2008 , Belgian tennis player Justine Henin had suggested she may have had to pull out of defending her gold medal at the Beijing Olympics because of worries the city 's pollution would trigger her asthma . The grand slam winner had already withdrew from the China Open in September 2007 because of her condition . 3 . Jerome Bettis . NFL running back Jerome Bettis was diagnosed with asthma during a high-school football session and in 1997 suffered an attack triggered by the extreme heat in Florida . It did not stop the man nicknamed ` The Bus ' and he went on to win the Superbowl with the Pittsburgh Steelers . Bettis has been heavily involved with raising asthma awareness in America . 4 . Paula Radcliffe . English long-distance runner Paula Radcliffe was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma as a result of her training when she was a teenager . Despite this she has become one of the most successful marathon runners of recent years , winning both the New York and London marathons among other events . 5 . Jackie Joyner-Kersee . American track and field legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee discovered she was asthmatic in 1983 after finding she could n't catch her breath after periods of exercise . Failing to take her medication properly she suffered a life threatening asthma attack at one point . Eventually getting it under control , Joyner-Kersee went onto win three Olympic gold medals at the 1988 and 1992 games in heptathlon and long jump . | David Beckham was pictured taking his asthma inhaler during LA Galaxy 's MLS Cup loss to Real Salt Lake . Asthma can cause wheezing , shortness of breath and coughing , making exercise difficult . High-profile athletes like Paul Scholes , Justine Henin and Dennis Rodman are all asthmatics . | [[0, 15], [19, 101], [314, 337], [343, 368], [437, 543], [2454, 2485], [2544, 2616], [225, 311], [683, 821]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Utah man trapped for more than 26 hours in a crevice of a popular cave tourist attraction died as rescuers struggled to save him , authorities said Thursday . John Edward Jones , 26 , of Stansbury Park was stuck in the Nutty Putty Cave , which sits west of Utah Lake near Cedar Valley , according to the sheriff 's office of Utah County . The cave is 55 to 60 miles south of Salt Lake City . Sheriff 's officials said Jones entered the cave at around 6 p.m. Tuesday with a group of about 11 people and became stuck about 8:45 p.m. in a `` tightly confined '' feature inside Nutty Putty Cave called `` Bob 's Push . '' Utah County sheriff 's spokesman Sgt. Spencer Cannon told CNN affiliate KSL that Jones was trapped upside down in a crevice that was about 18 inches wide and about 10 inches high . The crevice is about 150 feet below the surface and about 700 feet from the cave entrance , according to the sheriff 's department . `` They had him to a level spot where he was n't heading downhill with his head below his feet , '' Cannon said . `` During the course of that , they have a raising system to hold him in position , and one of the devices of that system failed , and Mr. Jones actually fell back to the area where he had been stuck for so long . '' Shortly before midnight on Wednesday , rescuers got close enough to Jones to conclude that he was not breathing and he had no pulse . Rescue officials were meeting Thursday to determine how to recover Jones ' body . Rescuers had tried to reach Jones for more than 24 hours , but had problems navigating the treacherous terrain , Cannon said . `` Getting people to him is very difficult , '' Cannon told KSL before Jones died . `` It is a tightly confined space . When there is movement , it is literally millimeters at a time . '' There are narrow areas of the cave where visitors have to crawl on their bellies to get through , according to the attraction 's Web site . Up to 5,000 people visit each year , the site said . | John Edward Jones was stuck in cave crevice outside Salt Lake City . He was trapped in a space that was 18 inches wide , 10 inches deep . One of the rescue tools failed while trying to free him and Jones fell back . | [[19, 110], [180, 256], [753, 762], [768, 819], [1720, 1721], [1730, 1746], [1155, 1195]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Neda Agha-Soltan : The night before she was killed on the streets of Tehran , the woman the world would come to know simply as Neda had a dream . `` There was a war going on , '' she told her mother , Hajar Rostami , the next morning , `` and I was in the front . '' Neda 's mother had joined her in the street protests that erupted after Iran 's disputed June 12 presidential election . But on that fateful morning , she told her daughter she could n't go with her . As Neda prepared to leave , the mother told CNN last November , she was filled with anxiety . `` I told her to be very careful , and she said she would . '' On June 20 , Neda , 26 , headed to Tehran 's Nilofar Square , where thousands of protesters gathered . Tear gas was lobbed at the crowd . Her eyes burning , Neda headed to a medical clinic to get them washed . Neda later walked toward her car , parked on a side street not far from the heated protests . A single bullet struck her chest , and Neda was dead . On Monday , Long Island University announced it was awarding a 2009 George Polk Award , one of journalism 's highest honors , to the unknown videographer who captured Neda 's final moments -- her collapse on the street and her death . The New York Times reports that this is the first time in the 61-year history of the prestigious awards that judges have given the honor to work done anonymously . `` This video footage was seen by millions and became an iconic image of the Iranian resistance , '' John Darnton , curator of the Polk Awards , told the newspaper . `` We do n't know who took it or who uploaded it , but we do know it has news value . This award celebrates the fact that , in today 's world , a brave bystander with a cellphone camera can use video-sharing and social networking sites to deliver news . '' The New York Times : Polk award winners include anonymous video uploader . George Polk Awards in Journalism : 2009 winners . CNN : Neda was ` like an angel , ' mother says . William Ward Warren : When President Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy arrived at Dallas Love Field on November 22 , 1963 , there were as many as 100 photographers there , mostly shooting black and white film . On Monday , the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza in Dallas released never-before-seen , 8 mm amateur color film taken by Warren . According to a release by museum curator Gary Mack , Warren was 15 at the time of the assassination , and because students were given the day off for the president 's visit , he took his camera to Love Field to watch the arrival of Air Force One . `` My dad operated a furniture store adjacent to the airport , and so that morning on his way to work , he dropped me off at the airport to see -LSB- President Kennedy -RSB- come in , '' Warren said , according to the museum release . `` It was cool and yet the sun was shining bright , and there was lots of excitement . '' Kennedy was killed less than an hour after Warren captured the start of his visit to Texas . The owner of a freight brokerage business , Warren , now 61 , lives in north Texas with his wife and children . CNN : Watch the footage from the Sixth Floor Museum . CNN : Film released of JFK arrival in Dallas . Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza . Dafna Michaelson : The former director of volunteer services at a Denver , Colorado , hospital -- and a single mother of two children -- left her job and spent all 52 weeks of 2009 traveling to all 50 states and Washington . She funded her `` 50 in 52 Journey '' by draining her 401k -- the entire $ 31,000 -- and then asking others for donations . Her goal was to collect the stories of ordinary Americans who were making a difference in their local communities and to share those stories on her Web site . She ultimately interviewed more than 500 people , blogged regularly and posted 370 videos . In January , she launched the Journey Institute , telling CNN on Monday , `` One main thing I heard while traveling was , if they did n't have someone to push them or mentor them or train them , they would n't have been able to put their idea into action . '' So after her journey , Michaelson decided to help people get their ideas off the couch and put them into action . Her plan is to bring people from every state facing similar challenges to Denver and give them training on how to solve those problems . Michaelson said , `` No matter where I went , I met people who were the same as the pioneers who built this country . They not only had to build their barns and plant their fields , they had to help their neighbors do the same . The people I met had the same values as those pioneers . '' 50 in 52 Journey Web site . The Denver Post : Woman travels nation , documents people making life better . Kim Jong Il : Tuesday is the `` Dear Leader 's '' birthday , but where , do you ask , was he born in 1942 ? His official biography declares it was at the foothills of Mount Baekdu , North Korea 's sacred mountain , amid bright lights and double rainbows . But historians are pretty sure he was born at a guerrilla base under Soviet protection in the Soviet Union . The discrepancy should not surprise . When Time magazine 's Frances Romero wrote about the supreme leader of the Democratic People 's Republic of Korea , the profile began , `` An easy way of summing up Kim 's life in one sentence would be to throw in the words reportedly , allegedly and the occasional is said to . '' His father , Kim Il Sung , founded North Korea , and his son ran the country more or less for 20 years as his father aged , taking power officially in 1997 , a few years after his father 's death . `` Here 's a guy who is very concerned about his physical stature , among other things , '' said Dr. Jerrold Post , a former CIA psychologist who heads the political psychology program at George Washington University . `` He 's 5-foot-2 and wears 4-inch lifts in his shoes . '' Post , in his book `` Leaders and Their Followers in a Dangerous World , '' writes that Kim also loved to drink a certain Hennessy cognac that sold for $ 630 a bottle in Korea . Hennessy , the maker of Paradis cognac , confirmed that Kim was the biggest buyer of the cognac , and between 1988 and 1998 , maintained an estimated annual account of $ 650,000 to $ 800,000 . Post wrote the ruler `` annually spent 770 times the income of the average North Korean citizen -LRB- $ 1,038 -RRB- on cognac alone ! '' Post told CNN that Kim Jong Il once kidnapped the most prominent South Korean movie star and kept her under house arrest with her husband for eight years . And he has a collection of some 20,000 videotapes , including the complete James Bond movie collection . In August 2008 , Kim had a stroke and was out of view for some time , and now seems to have recovered . Post said he believes that some of his toughness on North Korean nuclear policy now may be the indication of a power struggle at the end of his rule . CNN : North Korea marks Kim Jong Il 's birthday . CNN : Mystery has surrounded Kim Jong Il . Time : Two-minute bio : Kim Jong Il . Bode Miller : NBC Winter Games anchor Bob Costas said this weekend that the word `` redemption '' may be the most overused cliché in all of Olympics coverage , but it pretty much describes Bode Miller 's downhill race Monday . Sports Illustrated and the U.S. Ski Team Web site report that Miller , winner of 32 World Cup races , won two silver medals in Salt Lake City , Utah , but none during any of his five races at the Turin Olympics in in Italy in 2006 . Then in May 2007 , Miller announced he was leaving the U.S. Ski Team to race independently , only to rejoin the team in 2009 . Monday in Vancouver , British Columbia , Miller won a bronze medal in the men 's Olympic downhill , finishing behind Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway , who took silver , and gold medal winner Didier Defago of Switzerland . Miller missed the gold by nine one-hundredths of a second , but he now holds the U.S. record for most medals in Alpine skiing . According to his official biography , Miller was born in New Hampshire in 1977 , was home-schooled until fourth grade and started skiing at 3 . U.S. Ski Team : Bode Miller bio . SI : Bode Miller career highlights . CNN : Winter Olympics coverage . What makes a person intriguing ? There are people who enter the news cycle every day because their actions or decisions are new , important or different . Others are in the news because they are the ones those decisions affect . And there are a number of people who are so famous or controversial that anything they say or do becomes news . Some of these people do what we expect of them : They run for office , pass legislation , start a business , get hired or fired , commit a crime , make an arrest , get in accidents , hit a home run , overthrow a government , fight wars , sue an opponent , put out fires , prepare for hurricanes and cavort with people other than their spouses . They do make news , but the action is usually more important than who is involved in the story . But every day , there are a number of people who become fascinating to us -- by virtue of their character , how they reached their decision , how they behaved under pressure or because of the remarkable circumstances surrounding the event they are involved in . They arouse our curiosity . We hear about them and want to know more . What they have done or said stimulates conversations across the country . At times , there is even a mystery about them . What they have done may be unique , heroic , cowardly or ghastly , but they capture our imaginations . We want to know what makes them tick , why they believe what they do , and why they did what they did . They intrigue us . | Journalism award goes to anonymous uploader of video showing Iran protester 's death . Newly released footage of President Kennedy 's 1963 arrival in Dallas , Texas , revealed . U.S. skier earns bronze in Vancouver after failing to reach podium in 2006 . | [[1132, 1156], [1161, 1191], [1825, 1843], [1846, 1899], [2026, 2128], [3188, 3228], [7717, 7773]] |
Sumatra , Indonesia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A loud crack echoes throughout the canopy as two young orangutans come tumbling down , grasping at branches along the way to break their fall . They recover and sheepishly scamper back up . This is lesson one of jungle school here in the forests of central Sumatra , one of the few places where orangutans are being successfully rehabilitated into the wild . `` They have to learn that their whole environment is completely different from the cage , '' says Peter Pratje of the Frankfurt Zoological Society . `` They have to learn that branches and small trees -- the size of bars in the cage -- do n't carry them any longer . They bend and break . '' `` During the first phase of this jungle training , they are very often falling out of the trees because they use rotten branches . '' The two youngsters swing awkwardly between the trees . On the ground below , their trainers keep a watchful eye and try to coax them toward fruit trees . Learning to forage is another crucial lesson in survival . Back in the massive enclosure , the orangutans undergo enrichment exercises to keep their minds occupied and prolong their feeding time . Success here is critical . Scientists say the Sumatran orangutan will be the first great ape to go extinct . `` The orangutan is an extremely vulnerable species because they have a very slow breeding cycle . Usually an orangutan stays for around 7 to 9 years with its mother , '' Pratje says . `` Besides natural mortality , if there is only a little increase in mortality over a longer time already it drives an orangutan population to extinction . '' The numbers of Sumatran orangutans have already dwindled to around 6,000 . The main reason for that is habitat destruction . Sumatra has lost 85 percent of its natural forest , mainly due to palm oil and pulp and paper companies , scientists say . The sanctuary , a Frankfurt Zoological Project , is just outside the Bukit Tigapuluh National Park . The lowlands surrounding it are an ideal habitat for orangutans , and it 's where those that have been released are choosing to build their habitats . According to the environmental group WWF , it 's also home to the endangered Sumatran elephant and a quarter of the critically endangered Sumatran tigers left in the wild . But the area , which is not currently protected , is being threatened by pulp and paper companies that want to see the region turned into plantations . So far the government has rejected logging permits , but unless this is declared a conservation area , Pratje and other conservationists fear that could change . So far , more than 100 orangutans have been released here , with just over a dozen more in various stages of training . Pratje has lived here since he established the sanctuary seven years ago , dedicating his entire life to this project . `` It 's like fighting for a member of my family , '' he says . `` I love them because they are smart , smarter than other great apes . '' But he says the fight is not just about the extinction of a species . The orangutan has become the ambassador for the threatened rainforest . `` If we sacrifice these forests , we may sacrifice our chances for getting medicine for important diseases , '' he says . `` The problem is there is no second chance . If you shut down an ecosystem that is hundreds of years old , you ca n't regrow it any longer . `` So this is the last chance . '' | Peter Pratje says orangutans in Sumatra are threatened by pulp and paper companies . He 's working to introduce orangutans back into the wild . `` The orangutan is an extremely vulnerable species , '' Pratje says . | [[2307, 2315], [2353, 2400], [1454, 1470]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sen. John McCain on Monday called for a $ 300 million prize to whoever can develop a battery that will `` leapfrog '' the abilities of current hybrid and electric cars . Sen. John McCain wants someone to develop a battery that can `` leapfrog '' those available in current electric cars . Citing high oil prices , the Republican presidential candidate said he wants his offer to `` deliver a power source at 30 percent of the current costs . '' '' -LSB- The prize would amount to -RSB- $ 1 for every man , woman and child in the U.S. -- a small price to pay for helping to break the back of our oil dependency , '' McCain said during a town hall-style meeting at California 's Fresno State University . McCain said the new automobile battery should have `` the size , capacity , cost and power to leapfrog the commercially available plug-in hybrids or electric cars . '' Watch more on McCain 's $ 300 million reward '' `` In the quest for alternatives to oil , our government has thrown around enough money subsidizing special interests and excusing failure , '' McCain said . `` From now on , we will encourage heroic efforts in engineering , and we will reward the greatest success . '' McCain also called Monday for a `` Clean Car Challenge '' for U.S. automakers , hoping to spur them to develop and sell vehicles with no carbon emissions . The challenge would allow $ 5,000 tax credits to buyers of such cars , making those vehicles more appealing to consumers and thus easier to sell . `` We 're going to see technology for electric-powered cars that are going to be -LSB- made cheaper -RSB- with our incentives , '' McCain said . McCain also spoke against policies that he said `` prevent consumers from benefiting '' from ethanol not made from corn . He cited the U.S. subsidies for corn-based ethanol and tariffs on sugar cane-based ethanol from Brazil . `` Instead of playing favorites , our government should level the playing field for all alcohol fuels that break the monopoly of gasoline , both lowering gasoline prices and carbon emissions , '' he said . McCain 's remarks came a day after his Democratic rival , Sen. Barack Obama , called for greater oversight for energy traders . Obama 's campaign said many economists believe speculation could be adding between $ 20 and $ 50 to the price of a barrel of oil ; the price per barrel closed near $ 135 on Friday . On Monday , the Illinois Democrat turned to the subject of working women , criticizing McCain for opposing a bill that would have made it easier for people to sue over pay discrimination . Watch Obama court working women '' The bill , dubbed the Fair Pay Restoration Act , would have rolled back a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that a person who claims pay discrimination must file a complaint within 180 days of that discrimination taking place . Senate Republicans blocked the bill , which Obama co-sponsored , in April . Obama , in a speech to women at the Flying Star Cafe in Albuquerque , New Mexico , said McCain `` thinks the Supreme Court got it right . '' `` He opposed the Fair Pay Restoration Act , '' Obama said . `` He suggested that the reason women do n't have equal pay is n't discrimination on the job -- it 's because they need more education and training . That 's just wrong . '' Obama said that in the United States , women earn only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men . Obama claimed that McCain said the Fair Pay Restoration Act would have opened `` us up to lawsuits for all kinds of problems . '' `` But I ca n't think of any problem more important than making sure that women are getting a square deal on the job . It 's a matter of equality . It 's a matter of fairness , '' Obama said . `` I 'll continue to stand up for equal pay as president . Sen. McCain wo n't , and that 's a real difference in this election . '' Meanwhile , monthly campaign finance reports filed in June show the candidates are nearly level in the amount of money they have available to spend before their parties ' conventions . According to a report filed with the Federal Election Commission , Obama had $ 43.1 million in the bank at the start of June . However , $ 9.8 million of that amount is designated for the general election , meaning only the remaining $ 33.3 million may be spent before the conventions . McCain , according to his report filed with the FEC , began June with about $ 31.4 million available to spend before the conventions . McCain had only $ 123,000 set aside for the general election . However , since indicating he will accept public financing for the general election , he has returned nearly all of the money he has raised for it . Obama said last week he would not accept public financing . Republicans and outside analysts have said Obama found he could raise more money than public financing would allow him to spend . The Democratic convention is scheduled for August 25-28 in Denver , Colorado . The GOP convention is set for September 1-4 in Minneapolis and St. Paul , Minnesota . | NEW : Sen. John McCain : Prize `` small price to pay '' to combat oil dependency . NEW : Sen. Barack Obama criticizes McCain over pay discrimination bill . McCain wants battery to surpass those of commercially available hybrids . Candidates nearly level in cash available to spend before conventions . | [[556, 628], [2411, 2432], [2474, 2512], [722, 886], [3847, 3856], [3859, 3965], [3966, 4031]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. State Department has sold its London embassy building to a Qatari real estate company , the embassy announced Tuesday . The signing of the deal is another major step in the embassy 's plans to relocate from its longtime headquarters in central London to a new site in Wandsworth , on the south bank of the River Thames . It was n't immediately clear how much Qatari Diar Real Estate paid for the embassy building in Grosvenor Square , whose 1960s facade was recently given listed status , meaning its design ca n't be changed . The embassy will continue to operate from the current building until the new one is completed in 2016 or 2017 , the embassy said . Construction is expected to begin in 2012 or 2013 . It was a year ago that the embassy announced it was looking for a new site that is more modern , open , and secure than the current building in London 's West End . It has now settled on a site in Wandsworth and is having a design competition for the new building . When the embassy does move to Wandsworth , it will mark the end of a more than 200-year association with Grosvenor Square , in the historic and exclusive neighborhood of Mayfair near Hyde Park . John Adams , who later became U.S. president , lived on the square from 1785 to 1788 , when he was the first U.S. minister to the Court of St. James . The building in which he lived still stands in the square 's northeast corner . The embassy moved to various locations in the West End before returning to Grosvenor Square in 1938 . For years , it occupied a building on the east side of the square -- a building that now houses the Canadian High Commission . During World War II , the square was known as `` Little America '' because the embassy was on one side and Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower 's headquarters were on the other . The embassy moved to its current site , occupying the entire west side of the square , when the building was completed in 1960 . The concrete , four-story structure was designed by Eero Saarinen , who also designed the Gateway Arch in St. Louis , Missouri , and the U.S. Air Force Academy Chapel in Colorado Springs , Colorado . Since the September 11 attacks in 2001 , the embassy has caused controversy locally by installing blast walls in a wide perimeter around the building . Neighbors complained the walls were unsightly , and the walls caused the road in front of the building to be closed to traffic . Sitting atop the building at the front is a huge gilded aluminum eagle with a 35-foot wingspan . It is not clear whether the eagle will be considered part of the building 's listed status , meaning it will have to stay on the facade , or whether it can be moved to the new location , according to a spokesman for the realty firm Cushman and Wakefield , which advised the United States on the sale . | Qatari firm buys landmark U.S. Embassy building in Grosvenor Square . State Department moving quarters to new building to be finished by 2017 . Post 9/11 protections have drawn criticism from embassy 's neighbors . | [[366, 477], [2175, 2213], [2216, 2326]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Pennsylvania soccer mom was chatting with a friend via webcam when she was shot to death by her husband , who then went upstairs and shot himself , police said Friday . Pistol-packing soccer mom Meleanie Hain was shot dead while chatting with a friend on a webcam , police said . Meleanie Hain , 31 , made national headlines last year as the mother who carried a loaded , holstered handgun to her 5-year-old daughter 's soccer game . She was found dead in her Lebanon , Pennsylvania , home along with her husband , Scott Hain , 33 , on Wednesday evening , Lebanon police said . Hain was in her kitchen talking with a friend via webcam just before her death , police said . Watch why Hain caused controversy '' The friend , who police will not name , was looking away from the computer screen when he heard a shot and a scream , police said . He turned back to the monitor , he told police , and no longer saw Meleanie Hain but instead saw Scott Hain firing several rounds from a handgun toward where his wife had been . Police said that the woman 's body had already fallen to the floor by the time the friend turned back to the screen . Scott Hain then went upstairs to a bedroom , where he shot himself in the head with a 12-gauge shotgun , police said . Meleanie Hain was shot several times with a 9 mm handgun , police said . Her fully loaded 9 mm handgun was found in her backpack hanging on the back of the front door . The couple 's three children were home at the time of the killings , police Capt. Daniel Wright said . They were unharmed and took refuge at a neighbor 's house before police arrived , he said . Investigators have confiscated the webcam and computer , but can not review what the friend says he saw because the online conversation was not recorded . The death of the couple came four months after Meleanie Hain told her attorney she was separating from her husband , her attorney , Matthew B. Weisberg , told CNN Thursday . However , police said the couple still appeared to be living together . Meleanie Hain drew media attention on September 11 , 2008 , when she carried a Glock strapped to her belt to her daughter 's soccer game . Nine days later her permit to carry a gun was revoked by Lebanon County Sheriff Michael DeLeo , who claimed she showed poor judgment by wearing the weapon to a child 's game . County Judge Robert Eby later reinstated the permit . CNN 's Edmund DeMarche and Susan Candiotti contributed to this story . | Police : Meleanie Hain shot by husband , Scott , in Pennsylvania home . He then shot himself to death , police said . Friend heard gunshots over webcam , saw Scott Hain firing . Meleanie Hain brought loaded gun to daughter 's soccer game in 2008 . | [[113, 124], [154, 166], [287, 300], [680, 693], [849, 862], [1192, 1193], [1210, 1261], [1264, 1277], [1337, 1350], [948, 977], [960, 1007], [190, 243], [359, 369], [374, 390], [411, 454], [1351, 1406], [2108, 2181], [2239, 2275], [2282, 2357]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hundreds of inmates using pipes and shanks as weapons trashed a California prison , burning a courtyard , ripping beds to shreds and tearing bathroom sinks from walls , a new video of the weekend riot 's aftermath shows . A dormitory is trashed after a riot at the California Institution for men , in Chino . Video shot by CNN affiliate KABC-TV gave the first glimpse of the damage to the California Institution for Men in Chino from a riot that authorities said was ignited by racial tensions . `` This certainly is probably the worst that we 've seen , especially adding the extensive damage to the unit that has been burned , '' prison spokesman Lt. Mark Hargrove told reporters outside the prison Tuesday . `` That has never happened at this facility before . '' The riot erupted Saturday night and raged until Sunday morning , injuring 250 inmates . Fifty-five inmates were taken to hospitals with serious injuries , including stab wounds and head trauma . Watch the aftermath of the violence '' `` The prison is still under a state of emergency , '' George Kostyrko , a spokesman for the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation told CNN , which means no visitors were allowed and the prison could not take any new inmates . Corrections officials said they transferred about 1,150 inmates to other facilities . `` The ones that are there are likely in a lockdown mode until an investigation can determine whether or not they were directly responsible for the riot , '' Kostyrko said . The decision to lock down the Chino prison and nine others in southern California was still in effect Tuesday . `` The lockdowns will remain in effect until all the staff that we deployed to Chino from other areas go back home , '' Kostyrko said . The measure was taken to prevent copy-cat violence . Though other races were involved , the altercations at Chino mostly involved Hispanics and African-Americans , Kostyrko said . About 80 officers responded to the scene , but none of the staff was injured . A housing unit was heavily damaged by fire . Prisoners broke windows and pulled down pipes to use as weapons , Kostyrko said . The facility has seven units , each of which houses about 200 inmates . In one of the torched dormitories , burned red prison uniforms were strewn everywhere , the floor was covered with ankle-high ashes , windows were shattered and there was a large hole in the roof . In the mounds of trash that littered the floor of the dorm , a rusty foot-long pipe could be seen . Most of the residential areas were badly damaged and some inmates were being temporarily housed in tents , the spokesman said . Chino is about 35 miles east of Los Angeles . | Video gives glimpse of damage to the California Institution for Men in Chino . Authorities say riot was sparked by racial tensions . Chino prison and nine others in southern California remain in lockdown . | [[241, 314], [328, 447], [453, 459], [465, 514], [1520, 1578], [1520, 1631]] |
Port-au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Search-and-rescue efforts at a supermarket in Haiti 's capital have ended after teams determined no one else was alive beneath the rubble , an official told CNN Wednesday . A French excavation team was working at the Caribbean Supermarket on Tuesday . Several Haitians had been in the building at the time , looking for survivors or useful items . At least one of these foragers became trapped in the rubble . While the French team was trying to rescue that person , their excavation machine , which resembles a bulldozer , tipped into a hole and caused a further collapse , said Lt. Col. Christophe Renou of French Civil Protection . The French team called in U.S. and Mexican teams to help with the rescue . The U.S. team brought more radar and lifting devices to try to extract the known survivor and reach any others , said Norman Skjelbreia , an incident commander from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers . But at 11 p.m. Tuesday , the teams determined there was no one else alive under the rubble , and they called off the rescue mission , Renou told CNN Wednesday . He said information gathered from radar and listening equipment detected no signs of life . The rescue was an extremely dangerous one , he said , with pieces of concrete shifting . At one point , he said , a female Mexican rescue worker was trapped under the rubble and teams had to work to save her life . It was decided that the safety of the search-and-rescue teams was more important than the search to retrieve bodies from the precarious collapsed building , Renou said . More than 212,000 people died in the January 12 earthquake , Haitian officials said . Caribbean Supermarket was the scene of a number of rescues after the earthquake , including the rescue of five people in one weekend . Rescuers pulled an apparent survivor of the original quake , Evan Muncie , 28 , from the rubble of another market on Monday . Doctors found him suffering from extreme dehydration and malnutrition , but without significant crushing injuries . CNN 's Ingrid Formanek contributed to this report . | French team had been trying to rescue a person Tuesday when secondary collapse occurred . U.S. , Mexican teams brought in to help with more radar , lifting devices . By 11 p.m. Tuesday , teams determined no one else alive under rubble . | [[458, 506], [677, 751], [752, 862], [0, 179], [956, 974], [977, 1042]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One of the the country 's most powerful unions stepped up its campaign for a hotly disputed labor bill Monday , holding a rally on the eve of the bill 's formal introduction in Congress . Workers rally in support of the Employee Free Choice act in Lafayette Square in Washington on Monday . The legislation -- the Employee Free Choice Act -- would create an alternate process for bringing a union into a workplace . It is supported by President Barack Obama and the Democratic congressional leadership , but is fiercely opposed by most congressional Republicans and corporate leaders , who fear it will saddle a sagging business community with new burdens at the worst possible time . Business leaders `` believe in this old market-worshipping , privatizing , deregulating , trickle-down -LSB- policy -RSB- that took the greatest economy on the Earth and sent it staggering forward because of their greed and their selfishness , '' declared Service Employees International Union President Andy Stern . `` Without the Employee Free Choice Act ... the rich will get richer and the rest of us will fend for ourselves . '' Sterns issued his warning as his 1.8 million-member union prepared for a daylong Capitol Hill lobbying blitz on behalf of the bill Tuesday . Democrats and Republicans may disagree sharply over the merits of the legislation , but leaders on both sides of the aisle freely admit it has the potential to significantly reshape the balance of power between business and labor for the first time in years . The controversial act would allow employees to signal support for unionizing by openly signing a card demanding it . If a majority signed , the company involved would have 90 days to negotiate union representation . It would also stiffen federal laws barring employers from intimidating or firing workers who try to bring in a union . The traditional option to vote by secret ballot would still be available . But critics say the measure -- dubbed the `` card check '' bill by its opponents -- would effectively eliminate union elections , removing a fundamental hard-earned right of workers and forcing some workers into unions they do n't want to join . Some corporate leaders have reacted angrily against the measure . If a retailer has not gotten involved with fight over this bill , he `` should be shot , '' Bernie Marcus , co-founder and former CEO of The Home Depot , said during a conference call about the act last October . Retailers who do n't speak out against it `` should be thrown out of their goddamn jobs . '' `` This is how a civilization disappears , '' Marcus said . `` I 'm sitting here as an elder statesman , and I 'm watching this happen , and I do n't believe it . '' Dave Bego , a business owner in Indianapolis , Indiana , shares Marcus ' concern . Bego is the owner of EMS , which provides janitors to businesses around the country . The family-owned company has been under fire from the SEIU , which argues that EMS intimidates , harasses and violates the rights of workers wanting to unionize . It has made the company a target of repeated protests for about three years . Bego said the claims are unfounded , and it 's the union that has harassed him . He said the union has sent his clients threatening letters for using his company , staged noisy protests , confronted employees , blocked building entrances and even released balloons in a client 's building to disrupt business . But he told CNN his workers do n't want a union because they make more in pay and benefits without having to pay SEIU 's labor dues . `` We have several hundred people working for us in Indianapolis -LSB- alone -RSB- , '' Bego said . `` They 've been after us for almost three years , and they 've got only about 10 or 12 people interested in what they said . If our people really needed protecting , do n't you think they 'd be out in mass droves in the street with the union protesting EMS ? Do you think we 'd still be in business ? I do n't think so . '' But union workers CNN talked to say workers at EMS are afraid to speak out because they might get fired , as Shaneka Brown said she was . `` We 're not the only ones , '' Brown said . `` There are millions of other janitors and millions and millions of other companies that are going through same '' kinds of things . And that , says Stern , is why the Free Choice Act is so critical . The SEIU president claims the legislation merely provides employees who have been intimidated by their employers an opportunity to freely and openly support a union . `` This is workers ' choice , '' Stern said in February . `` They can have a secret ballot , or they can legally affirm by a majority of them signing cards . '' Observers believe Stern 's union has the muscle to push the legislation through the Democratically controlled Congress . The SEIU was the largest contributor to Democratic campaigns this election , pumping $ 85 million into campaigns and get-out-the-vote drives . The union said 2,000 members temporarily gave up their jobs to work for Obama 's election . Now `` we have a friend in the White House , '' Stern declared Monday . `` Thank God for Barack Obama . '' CNN 's Drew Griffin , Marcus Hooper and Kathleen Johnston contributed to this report . | One of largest unions holds rally in support of Employee Free Choice Act . Bill would let employees openly sign a card demanding a union . If a majority sign , company would have 90 days to negotiate . Home Depot CEO , critic of bill says `` this is how a civilization disappears '' | [[0, 26], [56, 139], [218, 294], [1550, 1651], [1616, 1666], [1688, 1765], [2206, 2271], [2578, 2618], [2593, 2618], [2621, 2623]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The sudden end to a legal battle between dethroned Miss California USA Carrie Prejean and pageant officials was prompted by the revelation of a `` sex tape , '' according to a source familiar with the lawsuits ' settlement . Prejean was fired in June after lingerie-modeling photos of her emerged that pageant officials said were a breach of her contract . Prejean sued the pageant in August , arguing her firing was religious discrimination because of her opposition to same-sex marriage . Pageant officials countersued last month , demanding their former beauty queen repay $ 5,200 in pageant money spent for her breast implants and give them all proceeds from a book she 's written . A settlement of both lawsuits was signed in New York Tuesday , but no details were made public . Lawyers and parties for each side were bound by a confidentiality pledge , according to the source . The veil of secrecy was partially lifted Wednesday after celebrity gossip Web site TMZ reported the deal was sealed after pageant lawyers presented an `` extremely graphic '' home video involving Prejean . TMZ Managing Editor Harvey Levin said during a webcast Wednesday that he obtained the Prejean video during the summer , but found it `` too racy '' to post on his site . He indicated Prejean was alone in the video . The source with knowledge of the settlement talks told CNN those details were accurate . Prejean 's lawyer , Charles LiMandri , responded with a short statement issued through an employee at his law office . `` It 's a confidential settlement , and he ca n't discuss it , '' the statement said . Several calls and e-mail to Prejean 's publicist were not returned Wednesday . Prejean 's tell-all book hits bookstores next week , and she is scheduled for media interviews to promote it . Pageant spokesman Kenn Henman said Tuesday the settlement means all lawsuit demands are dropped . The pageant had claimed that the contract she signed when she entered their competition last year gave the pageant the rights to anything she wrote . The settlement ended that claim . Pageant officials also dropped their attempt to be repaid for her breast enhancement , which was done before she represented California in the Miss USA competition , according to Henman . Prejean , in exchange , withdrew her suit accusing the pageant of violating her privacy by confirming to reporters that her breasts were enhanced , Henman said . `` We are moving forward from the past and looking towards the crowning of two winners and the new look of the upcoming Miss California USA pageant , telecast live on November 22 , '' pageant Executive Director Keith Lewis said Tuesday . `` We 're back in the business of beauty , '' he told CNN . There was nothing pretty about the public fight that began in April when Prejean , 22 , stepped into controversy by declaring her opposition to same-sex marriage while answering a judge 's question at the Miss USA pageant . Prejean finished as first runner-up . While state and national pageant officials publicly supported her initially , their opinions eventually changed after she continued to make public statements about same-sex marriage . She held onto her crown through May , despite a series of questionable photos that emerged on gossip Web sites . Those images showed a topless Prejean , photographed from behind . She was dethroned in June by Miss USA pageant owner Donald Trump amid growing complaints by state officials that she was uncooperative and not meeting her contractual obligations . Prejean filed her lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court in August , claiming that her firing was religious discrimination because of her stand against same-sex marriage . The pageant 's countercomplaint said what it called Prejean 's belligerent behavior , lack of cooperation and contract breaches caused her firing , not her opposition to same-sex marriage . | Carrie Prejean was dethroned as Miss California USA and sued pageant . Source : `` Extremely graphic '' home video involving Prejean spurred suit settlement . TMZ managing editor says he got video during summer but was `` too racy '' to post . | [[14, 40], [85, 129], [401, 435], [1012, 1114], [1083, 1134], [1135, 1252], [1135, 1167], [1259, 1304]] |
San Juan , Puerto Rico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A humanitarian mission to aid Haitian earthquake victims turned into a major embarrassment in Puerto Rico on Friday as pictures emerged of doctors drinking , mugging for cameras and brandishing firearms amid the victims ' suffering . The ethics committee of the commonwealth 's medical board said it was launching an investigation into whether those involved should be disciplined . Puerto Rican Secretary of Health Lorenzo Gonzalez called the episode `` a sad situation . '' `` The poor judgment of a few basically damages the beautiful effort that many others have put in place in terms of providing good medical care , '' Gonzalez said . `` When I saw the pictures , I was very concerned that they have taken pictures of people without any consent . '' Some of the photos , which were posted on the social networking site Facebook , show smiling doctors holding guns or toasting each other , bottles of scotch or other alcohol in their hands . Others show medical personnel in what appears to be a clinic , grinning as they attend to patients . Another shows a quake victim on a hospital bed , naked from the waist down except for a thin strip of cloth covering the genitals . `` You ca n't ever take pictures of patients if you do n't have a written agreement and much less publish photos of patients half-nude , '' the president of the College of Physicians and Surgeons told CNN . Dr. Eduardo Ibarra added , `` This is a clear violation of the Hippocratic Oath ... We 're going to take all the measures possible to correct this . '' Ibarra said some of the photographs were taken in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic after the group had operated on 70 patients who were in critical condition . `` In any form , the question of drinking beer while wearing their surgical gear is bad -- it 's like a police officer drinking beer while wearing their uniform , '' he said . `` They violated the rules of conduct . '' He said the ethics committee members would identify the doctors and evaluate their acts , `` always with the presumption of innocence . '' Though the committee has yet to decide on a course of action , some doctors have already suffered consequences , he said . `` Some of them already lost their jobs , '' he said . `` They 're going to lose probably their careers . It 's a mess . Only because of some stupidity . '' An anesthesiologist who traveled with the group said she was saddened by the photographs , but said her colleagues `` gave 200 percent '' with limited resources . `` Their work was excellent , '' Dr. Enid Garcia told Puerto Rico 's Primera Hora newspaper . The story led the Friday evening news broadcast of CNN affiliate WAPA , in San Juan , which devoted 12 minutes to the subject , including an interview with one of the doctors who appeared in a photograph carrying a rifle . `` I regret it , '' said Dr. Carlos Ortiz . He said the pictures were intended as nothing more than a reminder of their work , and that soldiers had handed them their weapons to hold while posing . The embarrassment was heightened by the fact that the mission was coordinated by Puerto Rico 's Senate . Days after the January 12 quake in Haiti , the Senate announced it would oversee sending more than 100 doctors to set up a field hospital near the town of Jimani , across the border in the Dominican Republic . The town has been flooded with Haitians injured in the quake , seeking medical help unavailable at home . Prior to sending the medical professionals on January 15 , Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz told them , `` With you goes the heart of all the people of Puerto Rico . '' On Friday , in a news release , he called the conduct of some of them `` imprudent '' and `` indiscreet . '' The soldiers should be investigated , he said , for having allowed the health professionals to pose with their weapons . CNN 's Nick Valencia , Benjamin Fernandez and Jennifer Deaton in Atlanta , Georgia , contributed to this report . | Anesthesiologist who traveled with the group : `` Their work was excellent '' Photos emerge on Facebook of doctors drinking and grinning among suffering Haitians . Puerto Rican medical ethics board meeting Friday ; investigation announced . Some photos show smiling doctors holding guns , bottles of liquor . | [[2386, 2433], [2481, 2548], [2549, 2576], [161, 244], [806, 818], [825, 875], [989, 995], [1052, 1089], [276, 424], [339, 424], [161, 244], [0, 3], [200, 275], [798, 816], [878, 934], [798, 816], [915, 971], [2806, 2817], [2822, 2865]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An interview with a choreographer for the Miss Universe pageant spurred controversy Wednesday over alleged claims that Donald Trump personally selects some of the finalists . Donald Trump is at the center of a brewing controversy over the Miss Universe finalists . The Q&A with Michael Schwandt , which appeared on Guanabee.com , quotes him as saying that `` it 's just kind of common knowledge that -LSB- Trump -RSB- picks six of the top 15 single-handedly . '' `` And , his reason for doing so , as he told me and he 's told the girls before , is that he left it all up to preliminary judging in the past , and some of the most beautiful women , in his opinion , were not in the top 15 , and he was kind of upset about that , '' the story quotes Schwandt as saying . `` And he decided that he would pick a certain number and let the judges pick a certain number . '' Via e-mail , Schwandt said that he `` was speaking in hypothetical jest '' when he said Trump picks some of the finalists and said the mogul has never spoken to either him , or any of his team , about the selection process . `` The story posted on that site contains many misquotes and -LSB- is -RSB- highly inaccurate , '' Schwandt wrote . `` I would like to disassociate myself from it completely and anything negative in regards to Miss Universe or even suggesting that Donald Trump ` rigs ' his event . I 'm perplexed as to why Guanabee.com would run a story such as this when they are aware that it is inaccurate . '' Daniel Mauser , publisher of Guanabee , said his site stands by the story , which resulted after Schwandt was contacted about his role choreographing both the pageant and a much talked-about performance by reality-star-turned-singer Heidi Montag . `` Whatever you see quoted in the article is verbatim what he said , '' Mauser said . `` So I can understand why he would want to retract those words , but unfortunately that was what was said . '' A statement from Miss Universe Organization President Paula M. Shugart , released Wednesday , said that `` to suggest the pageant is somehow orchestrated or ` rigged ' is utterly false and misleading . '' However , the statement also observed that Trump does play a role in selecting the finalists . `` In the 2009 Miss Universe competition , a preliminary panel of judges selected nine of the Top 15 and members of the Miss Universe Organization , including owner Donald J. Trump , selected the remaining six , '' the statement began . The statement went on to say that `` a separate panel of judges , introduced live at the Finals telecast , is solely responsible for the selection of the Top 10 , Top 5 and the ultimate winner of the pageant . '' `` This system has been in place since 2005 and has always been fully disclosed to the contestants , their directors , the judges and the viewing audience , '' the statement said . `` The procedure is overseen by the accounting firm of Ernst & Young and NBC Program Standards and Compliance . To in any way call into question the integrity of the judging process or suggest the pageant is somehow orchestrated or ` rigged ' is utterly false and misleading . '' Mauser describes Guanabee as an `` entertainment Web site for the Hispanic community that covers the interests and portrayals of acculturated Hispanics in this country . '' The Miss Universe pageant is very popular in the Hispanic community , Mauser said , and the story took a different turn after the alleged comments were published . Schwandt , who has choreographed the pageant for the past few years , said in an e-mail to CNN that although Trump does meet with the contestants before the televised pageant , as far as he knows , it is just a gesture on Trump 's part in his role as producer of the pageant . `` I know the Miss Universe Organization goes to great lengths to establish a preliminary and final panel of judges as well as different factors on which contestants are judged , '' Schwandt wrote . `` However , I 'm the last person to be quoted as saying anything in regard to the judging or selecting process , I 'm the choreographer , I deal with that . '' | Miss Universe choreographer 's interview sparks controversy . Michael Schwandt says he was misquoted . President of organization calls claims of rigging `` false and misleading '' | [[0, 15], [83, 112], [1957, 2027], [2030, 2048], [1957, 2027], [2051, 2158], [3000, 3013], [3073, 3164]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A raging blaze at a fuel storage complex in Puerto Rico lit up the night sky Friday near San Juan as firefighters battled to keep it from spreading further . iReporter Maria Marquez photographed the flames early Friday from the 17th floor of her San Juan condominium . Fifteen of the 40 tanks at the Caribbean Petroleum Corp. facility in the city of Bayamon were ablaze more than 19 hours after an explosion of unknown origin rocked the complex , Gov. Luis Fortuno said at an evening news conference . The governor had put the tally at 11 a few hours earlier . `` I do n't think there 's ever been a fire like this in Puerto Rico , '' Fire Lt. Jose Atorre told CNN affiliate WLII-TV . The fire started shortly after midnight , when at least one fuel tank exploded . Residents described a surreal scene after the blast woke them from their sleep and shattered windows miles away . `` I was in bed and all of a sudden heard this really horrible sound , so I ran upstairs and thought the whole town had blown up , '' said Teo Freytes , who filed an iReport for CNN . `` The explosion blew out windows here in Old San Juan , '' he said . `` It 's still burning outrageously . '' Others woke up Friday morning to an extremely unusual sight . `` I did n't expect to see a mushroom cloud from my house , '' said Justin Gehrke , a U.S. Army civilian employee who also filed an iReport . Fortuno said he declared a state of emergency for the area so Puerto Rico can get aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency . The storage and refinery complex sits near San Juan 's bay , and Fortuno said officials are working to protect the water from being affected . `` We have serious worries that the bay or other bodies of water could be contaminated , '' he said . Caribbean Petroleum 's Web site says the complex has storage facilities for gasoline and gasoline-related products . `` We have been monitoring the water visually and we have installed preventive pads and other material to contain a spill , '' said Pedro Nieves , chairman of the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board . `` No oil has reached the water . '' But Nieves said that Caribbean Petroleum has a history of spills and `` there was potential that it had contaminated ground water . '' He said he did not have any specifics on hand and that his organization was more focused on containing the current problem of fire and smoke . The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency did not immediately return calls about the company 's environmental history . Newspaper and TV reports said a 4-inch pipe from a lagoon on the complex was broken , preventing firefighters from using 2 million gallons of water from the lake to battle the blaze . About 150 area firefighters and 215 National Guard personnel were battling to keep the blaze from spreading . One person suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to a hospital , Fortuno said . At least 350 people were evacuated to a nearby stadium . iReport.com : See , share , send images of the explosion . The smoke can be toxic for people with breathing conditions and officials have asked nearby residents to stay away , the governor said . `` This is a tremendous amount of smoke , and fire contains all kinds of irritants and this is oil that is burning , '' said Mary Mears , spokeswoman for the Environmental Protection Agency region that includes Puerto Rico . `` It 's smoke , so you 're going to notice coughing , tearing , maybe a sore throat . '' The wind shifted to the north Friday morning , blowing most of the smoke over less-populated areas and the Atlantic Ocean . The smoke plume also is rising 5,000 feet straight up before starting to drift , which keeps it away from people on the ground . `` The average air quality for Puerto Rico is still good , '' Nieves said . But the wind was expected to change Saturday morning , blowing the smoke over a large part of the island west of the fire . Officials also are concerned that rain mixed with the smoke could lead to acid rain . Authorities urged residents to bring in animals and their food and for people not to go out during or after any precipitation . The National Guard Combat Support Team was helping to monitor air quality and local environmental officials were working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to install monitors near the blaze . Officials will investigate the cause of the blaze . Puerto Rico is a U.S. protectorate , which means federal officials are involved . The Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco and Firearms sent a team of fire investigators , but have yet to determine whether the fire was an accident or set deliberately , said Orlando Felix , ATF Resident Agent in Charge of the Puerto Rico office . The FBI confirmed it is investigating graffiti found on two San Juan tunnels that referred to a fire . A spray-painted message on the two tunnels , less than three miles apart , said : `` Boom , fire , RIP , Gulf , Soul , ACNF . '' `` We have found graffiti in two different locations , '' FBI Special Agent Harry Rodriguez told CNN . `` We are looking into the matter as part of this investigation with respect to the fire at the fuel-holding facility . '' Rodriguez and San Juan police spokeswoman Maria Del Pilar Bon said they did not know what or who ACNF is . Caribbean Petroleum owns the Gulf Oil brand in Puerto Rico . Speaking at a news conference Friday afternoon , Fortuno said all leads must be followed . `` There could be many reasons -LSB- for the fire -RSB- , '' he said . `` We 're not going to guess . But there has to be an investigation . '' Caribbean Petroleum , which owns 200 gas stations in Puerto Rico and several inland distribution facilities , supplies much of the island 's fuel . But Department of Consumer Affairs Secretary Luis Rivera Marin said there is enough fuel on hand for 24 days , and 16 million gallons of gasoline were in transit to the island . He also froze prices at the level they were at 8:06 a.m. Officials transferred 295 inmates from a high-security prison in the area to other facilities , which they declined to identify for security purposes . Another 1,600 prisoners were moved from another nearby facility . Some 200 extra prison officials were brought in to handle the transfers , Fortuno said . Watch iReporter 's account of the blast and fire '' Video on WLII showed a caravan of white vans with sirens blaring transferring the prisoners , . San Juan police said they activated all units : explosives , transit , tactical operations and SWAT . Schools in Bayamon , San Juan , Toa Baja and Catano were closed , as was Puerto Rico Road 28 . Roads 5 and 22 were partially closed . Flights in and out of Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan were not affected , an airport official told CNN . CNN 's Jackie Castillo and Khadijah Rentas contributed to this report . | NEW : Crews battled into the night to contain a massive fuel depot fire in Puerto Rico . Complex sits near San Juan 's bay , causing worries the water could be affected . One person injured , 350 evacuated near San Juan , Puerto Rico . iReport.com : Are you there ? Send photos , videos of the flames . | [[0, 15], [75, 176], [5056, 5175], [1531, 1589], [1674, 1760], [2908, 2964], [2965, 2976], [2985, 2990], [2993, 3023]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Seth MacFarlane : Sarah Palin expressed outrage at a Fox television program , created by MacFarlane , for joking about people with Down syndrome and making an apparent reference to her 22-month-old son , Trig , who has the genetic disorder . The former Alaska governor said on her Facebook page that she was too angry to offer a coherent response , so she had her daughter Bristol release a full statement on the family 's behalf . The Palins directed their criticism at the prime-time Fox cartoon , `` Family Guy . '' In Sunday 's episode , a teenaged female character with Down syndrome told another character that `` my mom is the former governor of Alaska . '' A song and dance routine by another character also used language that ridiculed people with disabilities . According to the show 's Web site , `` Family Guy '' earned an Emmy nomination in 2009 for Outstanding Comedy Series , `` only the second animated series in television history to be honored with such distinction . '' On the show , MacFarlane performs the voices of the father , Peter Griffin , and his 1-year-old son , Stewie , who is , the Fox Web site reports , `` a diabolically clever baby whose heterosexuality is hanging by a thread . '' MacFarlane is also the voice of the intellectually superior family dog . The Web site Seth McFarlane Unlimited reports that MacFarlane began drawing cartoons at the age of 2 and is the recipient of two honorary degrees . While receiving the one from Harvard in 2006 , he delivered the Class Day Speech playing the roles of several of the characters from `` Family Guy . '' He also received a degree in 2007 from his alma mater , the Rhode Island School of Design . CNN Political Ticker : Palin slams Fox 's ` Family Guy ' ` Family Guy ' : About the show . Dalai Lama : The Tibetan spiritual leader is on his way to the United States for a number of speaking engagements and is scheduled to meet with President Obama on Thursday , even though China has warned that such a meeting would harm ties between it and the United States , a White House spokesman said on February 2 . `` The president told China 's leaders during his trip last year that he would meet with the Dalai Lama , and he intends to do so , '' Bill Burton told reporters earlier this month . China warned that ties between two of the world 's superpowers would be strained if Obama met with the Dalai Lama . `` It will seriously undermine the foundation of Sino-U.S. political relations , '' said Zhu Weiqun , a Communist Party official who is in charge of talks with representatives of the Dalai Lama . Beijing accuses the Dalai Lama of advocating for Tibetan independence from China . In explaining Obama 's intention to hold the meeting , Burton said the Dalai Lama `` is an internationally respected religious and cultural leader , and the president will meet with him in that capacity . '' Tibet is technically autonomous from the central Chinese government , but the Dalai Lama and others have said they favor genuine autonomy and resent the slow erosion of their culture amid an influx of Han Chinese , the most numerous ethnic group in China . Zhu said there would be no compromise on China 's control of Tibet . The 14th Dalai Lama was born in July 1935 . According to his official biography , the child named Lhamo Dhondup at that time was recognized at the age of 2 as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama . He went through years of monastic training and assumed political power in 1950 , a year after China 's invasion . The Dalai Lama ultimately fled China in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule . He lives in exile in the north Indian town of Dharamsala . CNN : White House says Obama will meet with Dalai Lama . CNN : Discord over Dalai Lama . DalaiLama.com : A brief biography . Jesse Sullivan : The 25-year-old from Petersburg , Illinois , has been living for two weeks at the corner of Florida and North Capitol Avenues in Washington . He 's been living there in a tent to show solidarity with Haitian families in crisis , he says , and to remind people that emergency shelter is still sorely needed for victims of the January 12 earthquake . When CNN reached him by phone in his tent Tuesday , he explained that he was recently in Washington to figure out how to work in Afghanistan , but realized that the situation in Haiti was a more pressing need . So he went to the Haitian Embassy to volunteer in any way he could . He says a minister at the embassy came up with the official-sounding title `` special assistant to the Haitian Embassy for relief and reconstruction , '' which Sullivan now uses informally . When he passed a nearby statue of the Indian political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi , Sullivan read the inscription , `` My Life is My Message , '' and the idea of staying in the tent came to him . Sullivan , who has a master 's degree in global governance and diplomacy from The University of Oxford in England , says he plans to live in the tent for at least one month . `` If I can still be effective , I 'll stay there for a year . '' The tent is pitched in the private parking lot of a pizza restaurant with the permission of its owner . Sullivan told CNN , `` The police stop by to make sure I 'm OK and not too crazy . '' He says his parents are a bit concerned , yet somewhat relieved . `` My initial plan was to head to Afghanistan , but for my dad and mom , anything that 's not Afghanistan makes them pretty happy . '' Next week , Sullivan plans to hold a news conference at his tent to announce his `` Live for Haiti '' campaign . He said , `` It 's not about us saving Haiti . This crisis has the opportunity that Haiti is going to save us from a narrow American dream -- one that does n't recognize that we are connected to people around the world . '' Live for Haiti . Samuel J. Wurzelbacher aka Joe the Plumber : Just when you think someone 's 15 minutes of fame are up , politics manages to reset the clock . Wurzelbacher , who gained notoriety during the last presidential campaign as `` Joe the Plumber , '' spoke this past weekend in Harrisburg , Pennsylvania , at an event on behalf of state Rep. Sam Roher , who is running for governor . Scott Detrow of Pennsylvania 's Public Radio Capitol News reports that Wurzelbacher told him that more than 200 politicians wanted his support , but he 's backed only five so far . He 's now supporting grass-roots Tea Party movements . During his speech , Wurzelbacher said he does n't support Sarah Palin any more because the former Alaska governor is backing Sen. John McCain 's re-election effort . `` John McCain is no public servant , '' he told the room , calling McCain a career politician . When Detrow pointed out that without McCain , he 'd just be plain old Sam Wurzelbacher of Ohio -- Joe the Plumber would n't exist -- his response was , `` I do n't owe him s -- . He really screwed my life up , is how I look at it . '' Wurzelbacher told the reporter , `` McCain was trying to use me . I happened to be the face of Middle Americans . It was a ploy . '' Wurzelbacher first gained fame in 2008 when he told candidate Barack Obama that he was worried that rolling back President Bush 's tax breaks would prevent him from buying a plumbing company that would earn between $ 250,000 and $ 280,000 a year . Joe the Plumber was born . State House Sound Bites : A few minutes with Joe the Plumber . Carly Simon : `` You 're so vain , you probably think this song is about you / You 're so vain , I 'll bet you think this song is about you / Do n't you ? Do n't you ? '' Thirty-seven years ago , Simon 's song was No. 1 and she had just married singer-songwriter James Taylor . So everyone wanted to know : Who is the subject of the song ? Who is that vain ? All these years later , people still want to know . Simon has never revealed the answer . But at Carlysimon.com , she does list some of her former boyfriends : Mick Jagger , Cat Stevens , Warren Beatty , Kris Kristofferson . Simon has also never made a music video of the song . -LRB- For purists , Janet Jackson did sample `` You 're So Vain '' in her 2001 music video , `` Son of A Gun . '' -RRB- . Simon has just announced a contest on the Web site , inviting fans and filmmakers to create a music video , using the original or new version of her song . She will screen all entries herself , select a winner , and meet the filmmaker -- whose winning entry will also be premiered at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival . Simon says she has always been amazed by the attention given to the mystery person in the song . In 2004 , she gave hints to CNN : `` Well , I guess for those who are interested in clues -- the name of the person it was about had an E in it . '' That could indicate Jagger , Beatty or James Taylor . She continued , `` Maybe I could disclose another letter . OK , it also has an A. '' In announcing the music video contest , Simon does not indicate that she will ever reveal the name . CarlySimon.com . What makes a person intriguing ? There are people who enter the news cycle every day because their actions or decisions are new , important or different . Others are in the news because they are the ones those decisions affect . And there are a number of people who are so famous or controversial that anything they say or do becomes news . Some of these people do what we expect of them : They run for office , pass legislation , start a business , get hired or fired , commit a crime , make an arrest , get in accidents , hit a home run , overthrow a government , fight wars , sue an opponent , put out fires , prepare for hurricanes and cavort with people other than their spouses . They do make news , but the action is usually more important than who is involved in the story . But every day , there are a number of people who become fascinating to us -- by virtue of their character , how they reached their decision , how they behaved under pressure or because of the remarkable circumstances surrounding the event they are involved in . They arouse our curiosity . We hear about them and want to know more . What they have done or said stimulates conversations across the country . At times , there is even a mystery about them . What they have done may be unique , heroic , cowardly or ghastly , but they capture our imaginations . We want to know what makes them tick , why they believe what they do , and why they did what they did . They intrigue us . | Sarah Palin reacts to ` Family Guy ' creator for jokes about Down syndrome . President Obama to meet with Dalai Lama despite protests from China . Carly Simon hosts music video contest , but does n't reveal who is `` so vain '' | [[70, 86], [121, 163], [1791, 1801], [1893, 1904], [1909, 1962], [2175, 2213], [2377, 2408], [3695, 3745]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Charges have been dropped against four men accused of raping an 18-year-old student at Hofstra University after the woman recanted her allegations , prosecutors said . A Hofstra University student recanted her claims that she was lured to a dorm and assaulted in a bathroom stall . A judge dismissed all charges Wednesday night and ordered the release of the four men -- Jesus Ortiz , 19 ; Stalin Felipe , 19 ; Kevin Taveras , 20 ; and Rondell Bedward , 21 ; all of the New York metropolitan area , according to Nassau County , New York , District Attorney Kathleen Rice . They had been arrested , arraigned and jailed , with bail set at $ 500,000 each . Each was facing five counts of first-degree rape . `` Late this evening , during the continuation of the Nassau County Police Department 's investigation of the allegation , and under questioning by my office 's chief trial attorney and chief sex crimes prosecutor , the alleged victim of the sexual assault admitted that the encounter that took place early Sunday morning was consensual , '' Rice said . She said her office has launched a criminal investigation into the statements and reports given by the woman . The student had told Nassau County police that she had been lured from a club , forced into a men 's bathroom at a university dormitory , bound and assaulted . The woman then called the university public safety office , which alerted local police . The reported rape shocked the Hofstra University community . The university had announced that it was increasing safety patrols on campus , as well as establishing a support hotline for students and parents . | Hofstra student who claimed she was gang-raped recants claims . Woman told investigators sex was consensual . Judge dismisses rape charges against four men , orders their release from jail . District attorney 's office launch criminal investigation into woman 's statements . | [[140, 174], [196, 309], [950, 1070], [25, 70], [310, 355], [310, 317], [360, 395], [1088, 1177]] |
Kabul , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fourteen Americans died in two helicopter crashes in Afghanistan on Monday , NATO 's International Security Assistance Force said : 10 in one incident and four in the other . Three Drug Enforcement Administration special agents were among the dead , according to the DEA , which did not identify them . The agents were first DEA agents to be killed in Afghanistan . `` Like all those who give their lives in service to America , they were doing their duty , and they were doing this nation proud , '' President Obama said at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville , Florida . `` Now , it is our duty , as a nation , to keep their memory alive in our hearts and to carry on their work , to take care of their families , to keep our country safe , '' Obama said . It was the largest number of Americans killed in Afghanistan in a single day in more than four years , according to CNN records . The NATO force ruled out enemy fire in the crash that killed four Americans and said enemy action was not thought to be the cause of the other . A helicopter went down in the west of the country after a raid on suspected drug traffickers . Seven U.S. service members and three U.S. civilians were killed , according to an ISAF statement . Fourteen Afghan service members , 11 U.S. service members and one U.S. civilian were injured in the crash . Monday 's crash marked the second-deadliest incident in the agency 's 36-year history , according to entries on the DEA 's Web site . The deadliest incident for the DEA occurred August 27 , 1994 , when a plane carrying five special agents crashed in the Peruvian Andes during a reconnaissance mission , according to the DEA 's Web site . One of Monday 's helicopter crashes occurred after the helicopter was returning from a raid on a compound , ISAF said . The joint international security force killed more than a dozen enemy fighters while searching the compound , ISAF said . The site was thought to harbor insurgents tied to narcotics trafficking in western Afghanistan . The militants were killed in a firefight when insurgents confronted the joint force . As the force was leaving , a helicopter `` went down due to unconfirmed reasons , '' ISAF said . A recovery operation was launched . DEA Acting Administrator Michele Leonhart said the crash occurred as the agents and seven U.S. service members were returning `` from a completed , joint counternarcotics mission . '' `` DEA is an extremely tight family , and the death of these three brave agents is a devastating loss for us , '' she said in a written statement . Attorney General Eric Holder said the circumstances of the crash were under investigation . `` I want to express my deepest condolences to the families of these heroic agents , '' Holder said in a written statement . `` During this difficult time , the families of these agents are foremost in our thoughts and prayers . '' In Monday 's other deadly crash , four U.S. service members were killed when two helicopters apparently collided in the air in southern Afghanistan . Two other NATO service members were injured . `` The incident is currently being investigated , but it is confirmed that hostile fire was not involved , '' ISAF said . `` Each and every death is a tremendous loss for the family and friends of each service member and civilian . Our grief is compounded when we have such a significant loss on one day , '' Col. Wayne Shanks , an ISAF spokesman , said in a written statement . ISAF is not announcing the names of the dead or which branch of the service they were in , pending the notification of their relatives . The DEA has had a presence in Afghanistan for four years . The agency said Monday that it is increasing its presence in Kabul to up to about 50 agents . CNN 's Carol Cratty and Brooke Baldwin in Washington contributed to this report . | Helicopter crash victims `` gave their lives ... to protect ours , '' president says . Three DEA personnel are among victims . Seven U.S. service members and three U.S. civilians killed in one crash . Four other U.S. service members killed when two copters collided Monday . | [[417, 422], [427, 465], [784, 799], [214, 286], [214, 266], [289, 309], [1170, 1233], [1170, 1221], [1236, 1268], [2320, 2383], [39, 113], [969, 978], [984, 1005], [2929, 2960], [2963, 3078]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An $ 80 million research project aimed at giving people 50 active years after the age of 50 was launched by scientists at the University of Leeds in northern England Tuesday . The challenge is to ensure old people stay as fit as Brisbane centenarian Ruth Frith , seen competing at shot put during World Masters Games in Sydney this month . About half of the babies born in Western countries today will live until they are 100 years old , according to recent research published in the medical journal The Lancet , so the challenge is to ensure they remain active throughout their old age . While most of us will live longer than our parents and grandparents , the aging population means that in coming decades more people will suffer from age-related conditions such as osteoarthritis , heart disease and chronic back pain . Obesity and increased physical activity also put more pressure on our joints , causing them to wear out faster . Scientists at Leeds University envisage that many of the body parts that flounder with age could be upgraded using own-grown tissues and more durable implants . This will mean artificial hips , knees and heart valves , for example , lasting far longer than the current 20-year typical lifespan . `` Our work is driven by the concept of 50 more years after 50 -- that is , making our second 50 years of life as healthy , comfortable and active as our first , so we can enjoy a higher quality of life , '' explains Professor John Fisher , who is an expert in artificial joints and tissue regeneration . `` We now have the technology available to do astonishing things , such as repairing the body by growing healthy new tissue through biological scaffolds and stem cell therapy . And a new generation of prosthetic hip and knee joints that last longer will avoid the need for further replacements . '' Fisher says the center also hopes to gain a better understanding of degenerative diseases to allow for early diagnosis , rather than having to treat someone when they are already in crippling pain . `` For example , we 're developing biosensor tools that can detect the presence of antibodies and proteins in the blood . All of these technologies will ultimately reduce suffering in patients through more timely interventions , shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery times . '' So how do you feel about this . Are you looking forward to your old age ? Do you believe you will remain active ? Click here to send us your comments and we will try to use as many as possible in tonight 's show . | $ 80M research project launched aimed at giving people 50 active years after 50 . Half of babies born in Western countries today will live until 100 years old . Leeds University projects aims to ensure people remain active into old age . Scientists believe many body parts that flounder with age could be upgraded . | [[36, 117], [1269, 1331], [390, 426], [376, 400], [417, 502], [552, 624], [1026, 1040], [1046, 1063]] |
NEW DELHI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Indian government doctors Thursday eased the protruding heart of a 10-day-old baby boy back into his body in what they called a critical but successful surgery . Surgeons in New Dehli , India , operate on a 10-day-old baby whose heart was outside his chest . A.K. Bisoi , cardiothoracic surgeon at New Delhi 's All India Institute of Medical Sciences , told CNN that his 13-member team did not stop the child 's heartbeat as they performed the 3 1/2 - hour operation . The dangling organ has been successfully placed in a space surgically created between the chest and the abdomen , he said . `` The baby is stable . He may not require any other surgery , '' Bisoi said . Nonetheless , the doctors will keep him under observation and will not comment on when he can be discharged . Bisoi explained that surgeons had to displace organs including the lungs and the liver as they created a space for the heart . `` We will have to keep a watch on how those organs respond , '' he said . Watch more on the surgery '' The baby was born August 25 in a remote village in India 's eastern state of Bihar along the border with Nepal . He was admitted to the hospital the next day with acute dehydration and infection that doctors say he probably caught during a 683-mile -LRB- 1,100-kilometer -RRB- journey in a rickety train compartment . Specialists replaced the baby 's infected blood and covered his heart with a synthetic membrane . Bisoi described the case -- called ectopia cordis , which only affects five to eight cases in 1 million live births -- as a `` lifetime opportunity '' that might shed light on how to deal with similar conditions in the future . `` You are daring to correct a defect of Mother Nature , '' he told CNN a day ahead of the surgery . All India Institute of Medical Sciences , a state-run hospital , carried out the operation free of cost . The child 's 24-year-old father , Chander Majhi , is a laborer in Bihar , one of India 's most impoverished states . He said he felt indebted to the doctor in his home state as well as the hospital specialists . The Bihar doctor had not only referred the baby to the hospital but also financed the trip . | Surgeons in India create space for dangling heart between chest and abdomen . Infant 's heart continues to beat throughout 3.5-hour operation . Physicians will watch response of 10-day-old 's displaced organs . Doctors say only five to eight cases of this kind in 1 million live births . | [[506, 564], [557, 617], [296, 306], [390, 505], [946, 1005], [1501, 1515], [1529, 1581]] |
MADRID , Spain -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The world may soon know for sure where Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca rests after fascists executed him in 1936 during Spain 's Civil War . A team from the Andalucia Geophysics Institut at work in the Federico Garcia Lorca Park , Spain . Officials in southern Spain Friday cleared the last legal hurdle to permit exhuming a mass grave site in a village near Granada where Lorca and some other Civil War victims are thought to be buried , CNN partner station CNN + reported . The area has been fenced off for weeks as scientists conducted preparatory work . Next Monday -LRB- October 19 -RRB- they are due to erect a large tent over the site so that exhumation can be conducted confidentially , said Andalusia regional government justice councilor Begona Alvarez , CNN + reported from Granada . The potential exhumation of Lorca is part of a broader effort in Spain that already has resulted in various mass graves being dug up and could lead to thousands of other Spaniards still thought to be in mass graves . Many were killed by right-wing forces loyal to General Francisco Franco , who won the three-year long Civil War , which began in 1936 . Franco went on to rule Spain with an iron fist until his death in 1975 . For years , Lorca descendants have argued that Lorca -- whose poems and plays are widely studied at universities , including his `` Poet in New York '' -- should not be exhumed , mainly so that he would not be seen as more important than the many other Civil War victims thought to be in nearby mass graves . In a statement earlier this month , Lorca descendants noted the complexity of the issue , because relatives of some others thought to be in the gravesite have requested their removal , identification , and permission to bury their remains in hometown cemeteries . In their October 2 statement , six Lorca descendants reiterated their request that Lorca 's presumed remains not be disturbed . But they also reserved the right to have them identified in the future , and they asked authorities to designate the current mass grave site as a legally defined resting place . It is already a park , in the village of Alfacar , because that 's where it 's long been thought that Lorca , captured by Franco loyalists early in the Civil War , was shot dead , according to historians who interviewed witnesses and local villagers . Relatives of a bullfighter , Francisco Galadi , a tax inspector , Fermin Roldan and a restaurant owner , Miguel Cobo , have asked authorities to identify their remains , officials said . But in the case of teacher Dioscoro Galindo , also executed and thought to be in the mass grave , two of his nieces are at odds over whether to exhume him or not , so officials will not act until that family reaches a common position , CNN + reported . Irish author Ian Gibson , who is a leading scholar on Lorca , told CNN last year , `` Lorca is the most famous victim of the Civil War . I think Lorca can be a symbol for reconciliation of the Civil War . '' Spanish parliament in 2007 , led by the Socialist government , passed a law condemning Franco 's dictatorship and calling on town halls to fund initiatives to unearth mass graves . It also sought to honor Roman Catholic clergy and others executed by the losing side in the war , the forces loyal to the leftist Republican government . Since then , some prominent statutes of Franco have been removed from public view , but others remain , along with numerous streets in Spain named for Franco or his top generals . More recently , there have been efforts to try to exhume presumed Franco victims from a mass grave at his large mausoleum site , the Valley of the Fallen , just outside of Madrid , where Franco himself is buried . | Resting place of Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca may soon be known . Legal clearance been granted permitting exhumation of mass grave near Granada . Lorca executed in 1936 by General Franco 's forces during Spanish Civil War . Thousands of Spaniards killed in the civil war still thought to be in mass graves . | [[0, 6], [9, 30], [44, 52], [58, 122], [9, 30], [53, 128], [73, 192], [291, 418], [73, 192], [396, 405], [411, 418], [425, 488], [909, 917], [923, 966], [1011, 1063], [1511, 1581], [2655, 2686]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Honduran prosecutors issued arrest warrants for the country 's six top military commanders for abuse of power in connection with the coup that ousted President Jose Manuel Zelaya last year . The Honduran high command , including Gen. Romeo Vasquez Velasquez , the country 's top military chief , face charges for bursting into Zelaya 's residence and transporting the president to neighboring Costa Rica , Attorney General Luis Rubi said . The June 28 coup deepened a political crisis that remains unresolved , despite a new president being elected in November . Rubi himself filed the arrest warrants at the Supreme Court on Wednesday . In addition to abuse of power , the military commanders face charges of illegal expatriation of a citizen . The manner in which Zelaya was ousted was key in how other countries and international bodies interpreted the military action . The de facto government of Roberto Micheletti and his supporters have insisted that Zelaya 's removal was a constitutional transfer of power . But the United Nations , the Organization of American States , the European Union and most nations -- including the United States -- condemned the coup and demanded that Zelaya be reinstated immediately . The crisis erupted in June when Zelaya -- despite congressional and supreme court decisions calling it illegal -- pushed forward with a plan to hold a referendum that could have led to changing the constitution to allow for additional presidential terms . The Supreme Court signed an arrest warrant for Zelaya but not to send him into exile . Now , the Supreme Court has three days to decide whether to ratify the charges and start a case against the military officers . Armed Forces spokesman Col. Ramiro Archaga said that the military respects the rule of law and are willing to appear before the justice system . The announcement of the arrest warrants came as U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Craig Kelly visited with the key players in the crisis in Honduras . Kelly met with Micheletti Wednesday , though details of the talks were unknown except for a statement from acting Honduran Foreign Minister Carlos Lopez Contreras , saying that calls for Micheletti 's resignation were not part of the dialogue . Meanwhile , Zelaya remained holed up inside the Brazilian Embassy in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa . He has been there ever since sneaking back into the country in September . In another development , the Honduran congress was to take up the issue of amnesty for Zelaya and other players in the crisis next week . Journalist Elvin Sandoval contributed to this report . | NEW : Announcement of arrest warrants coincide with U.S. official 's visit . Zelaya remains holed up inside the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa , Honduras . Micheletti 's government insists Zelaya 's removal was constitutional transfer of power . | [[2291, 2300], [2303, 2397], [893, 1035], [977, 1035]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sometimes it seems like Barack Obama rules the Internet . President Obama speaks during a town hall meeting on health care in August . The president 's Twitter feed is hugely popular , with more than 2 million followers . Funny White House photos of the first family wearing 3-D glasses went viral after the White House posted them to Flickr . And he 's the first president who commonly addresses the nation on YouTube . Many pundits have argued Obama 's mastery of online social networks and his image as a BlackBerry-addicted , tech-hip person helped win him the U.S. presidency in January . So if the Obama Administration is so Internet savvy , what 's happening with health care ? As the country 's messy debate about health care reform continues , some online observers are starting to wonder if Obama has lost his grip on Internet discourse . They 're also wondering if it 's possible for any one person -- no matter how powerful -- to control public dialogue on a medium like the Internet , where conversations are driven by millions of users instead of TV pundits and heads of state . The health care fight is the first time the U.S. has had a major policy debate where all sides are represented and haggling openly online , said Joe Trippi , author of `` The Revolution Will Not Be Televised : Democracy , the Internet , and the Overthrow of Everything . '' Obama 's success at mobilizing grass-roots support through online networks has inspired Republicans and interests groups to do the same , he said . That may give the impression that Obama is losing control of his online base , but it really means more people are conversing online , he said . `` You 're definitely seeing a diversity of voices and a diversity of opinions -LSB- online -RSB- that I think is due to Obama 's success , '' said Trippi , a longtime Democratic campaign strategist . `` It 's the great awakening . People realized they need to do that too . '' Partly because of the vastness of opinion and discussion online , it 's difficult for the Obama administration , or any single group , to control the health care debate , said David All , founder of TechRepublican.com . All said Democrats have made a number of `` online gaffes '' that have drawn attention away from their talking points . He said there is `` so much noise '' in the health care debate online that the party 's missteps are overshadowing its message . For example , the White House raised privacy concerns after it asked people to send the administration e-mails and online writings that spread misinformation about health care reform , he said . Still , Obama remains active on many social networks -- from Twitter to Facebook to the video-sharing site Vimeo . And some people say he 's still doing a fine job at being an up-to-date online communicator . Mark Milian , a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times who has written about Obama and social media , said Obama 's online communications fell off when he first took office . But he says the president has rebounded online during the health care debate and is doing a good job of reaching constituents through that medium . But that does n't mean he 's the only one talking online . In trying to get their message across , administration officials have `` just as good a shot as some 20-year-old college student from Chicago , '' he said . `` It 's just they have more people behind that issue . They have a greater pull . '' Some have criticized the online community and Internet spin-masters for creating , and spreading , disinformation about proposals for health care reform . On the whole , though , the Internet conversation about the subject is healthy in part because so much information is available , said Bill Adair , editor of PolitiFact.com , a nonpartisan site that fact-checks political statements . `` People have access now to more information than ever before and that 's generally a very positive thing , '' he said . `` Although the Internet can be used to spread a lot of false things , it 's also never been easier for journalists like myself to debunk these things , you know ? So on balance , the reality is we just have a whole new dimension to the national discussion on any topic and that has positives and negatives . '' He encouraged people to check out statements made by bloggers , Twitter users or e-mailers before considering them fact . Prevailing images of the recent health care debate have been of constituents screaming at their legislators in a series of town hall meetings held around the county . Bernhard Drax , who has reported on health care meetings in the virtual world of Second Life , said conversations online have the potential to be much more civil and productive than those real-world town halls . `` Social media could drown them out with reason , with substance , '' he said . `` My idealistic view is that social media in general , including virtual worlds , can drown out that angry shouting . '' Daniel Palestrant , CEO of Sermo , an online social network for doctors , said Internet discussions tend to be ahead of those in the real world . Tort reform , he said , would n't be in the public conversation if not for the fact that people can bring up that issue up on the Web . He added that medical associations claim to represent physicians but often do n't portray the nuances of peoples ' views . The Internet lets people speak for themselves , he said . Trippi , the campaign consultant , said the shouting matches at health care town halls expose the limitations of online discourse today . But he said online debates and discussions will play increasingly important roles in public policy discussions . `` All these new tools are still just in their infancy and they 're still being used to a large extent just like everything else is used , '' he said . `` But I do n't think that will hold . I think you 're starting to see people actually talking to each other . '' | Some say the Obama administration may be losing its Internet savvy . Others argue that more interest groups are online now , resulting in more noise . Author says health care is first policy issue to be debated online in big way . Journalist says more information is better , but that people should check facts . | [[772, 793], [807, 867], [1957, 2020], [2023, 2089], [2128, 2142], [2297, 2415], [1112, 1190], [1137, 1382], [3634, 3677], [3740, 3782], [4567, 4580], [4662, 4706], [4278, 4322]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- There was n't a cloud in the sky early Friday when Dave Samuels trained his telescopes at the moon , hoping to catch a glimpse of a NASA rocket striking the lunar landscape . The moon , shown shortly before NASA 's rockets hit on Friday morning . `` We saw nothing , '' he said . Samuels is vice president of the Fremont Peak Observatory near Monterey , California , which had invited members of the public to watch Friday 's NASA mission through its telescopes . The lunar strike happened shortly after 4:30 a.m. on the West Coast -LRB- 7:30 a.m. ET -RRB- . NASA had encouraged everyone around the country to host `` impact parties , '' saying the plume of dust generated by the lunar impact would be visible through `` mid-sized backyard '' telescopes 10 inches or larger . It said the chances of seeing the plume were greater for people living in areas that were still dark . The space agency even posted an interactive map on its Web site so people could find `` a public event near you . '' NASA officials had said the impact of the Centaur upper-stage rocket would result in plumes of dust of more than 250 metric tons . After it hit , the debris was analyzed by a satellite -- launched along with the rocket -- that traveled through the dust cloud before its own impact on the moon . The goal of the $ 79 million mission was to determine whether there is water on the moon . After the impact , NASA officials called the mission a success , saying the satellite sent back a good amount of data that now will be analyzed . Jennifer Stracener of Vilonia , Arkansas , said she got up early to watch NASA 's live telecast of the impact . She was disappointed , and posted her reaction on CNN 's iReport.com . `` These was no plume , no nothing , '' she said by phone . `` It just kind of blacked out . '' She said the telecast did not show the rocket 's impact clearly . `` I was looking for some action -- something happening , '' she said . `` I think a lot of people were , because they -LSB- NASA -RSB- hyped it up , you know . ... No one saw anything . '' Stracener woke up her husband and two children to see the lunar crash . She said she wishes she had n't . Darrick Gray , a high school science teacher near Kansas City , Missouri , had planned to take some of his students to the nearby Powell Observatory to watch the lunar impact through their telescopes -- but they decided to skip the field trip because of bad weather . `` This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime thing , '' Gray had said beforehand . Gray -- who is also the director of the Astronomical Society of Kansas City -- said he had hoped the mission would influence his students to think about pursuing careers in science . `` Being as we do live here in Missouri , we 're away from the hub -LSB- of astronomy -RSB- , '' he explained . `` We 're not in Florida , we 're not in Texas , we 're not in Silicon Valley -- it 's not something they 're used to seeing . `` So any time you can show them something that 's never been done , and they say , ` Oh this is pretty cool , ' I think they buy into that . '' NASA held an all-night party at Ames Research Center -- located just outside San Francisco -- which was directing the mission . There were movies , music , food and guest speakers , and it culminated with a live transmission of the lunar impact . `` I would have loved to see , you know , huge amounts of dust flying up and ejecta , but we did n't , '' said Liza Coe , who attended the Ames event . `` I thought it was so neat being able to see just as we got closer and closer to the moon and realizing that that was really happening right now . `` It was n't just a picture of the moon that somebody was putting up . '' Back at Fremont Peak Observatory , even though most of the 50 people who attended the `` impact party '' were disappointed , they were good sports about the `` failure , '' Samuels said . Even Samuels , who has been an astronomer since he was 15 years old , said he got a lot out of the viewing party -- which he said was standing-room only . `` I do n't look at the moon so much because it 's always there ... so I got to know the moon 's craters better , '' he said . `` And I think the people that attended , some of them that were disappointed , -LSB- still -RSB- felt like it was worth coming and being part of something that was going on . '' He said he hopes the event generates more support for the observatory , which is run by volunteers . It is located in Fremont Peak State Park , which is on a list of state parks that could close because of California 's recent budget cuts . `` We 're trying to promote interest in the peak and every single person that came was part of that , '' he said . `` They all learned something . '' Fremont Peak Observatory has a 30-inch telescope that Samuels described as `` the most accessible public telescope in the -LSB- San Francisco -RSB- Bay area . '' He said he hoped that the reason they did n't see a plume from the rocket impact was n't because of `` another case where somebody forgot to carry the one '' -- a reference to incorrect mathematical computation , which was blamed for the failure of the Mars Surveyor Climate Orbiter mission to Mars in 1999 . He suggested that next time , NASA might want to be `` a little more careful suggesting people should get out of bed at 4:30 in the morning and haul their kids out there . '' CNN 's John D. Sutter contributed to this report . | NASA crashes rockets into the moon on Friday to test for lunar water . The space agency touts the event as an opportunity for amateur astronomers . Many say the event was a dud ; a woman says she saw nothing on NASA TV . Man says NASA should be more careful before asking people to wake at 4:30 a.m. | [[1310, 1400], [1310, 1346], [1351, 1400], [266, 283], [5232, 5403], [5250, 5259], [5262, 5308], [5287, 5403]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two George Washington Bridge security guards photographed sleeping on the job have been fired , according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey . Two George Washington Bridge guards were fired for their on-the-job siestas . A bicycle tour operator who commutes daily over the bridge from New Jersey to New York snapped photos of the two guards on different occasions , and the photos were published on a New Jersey local news Web site . In one set of photographs by commuter Joey Lepore , taken during a Wednesday rush hour at 7:15 a.m. , a guard tilts his head downward and dozes . The other snoozer 's on-the-clock siesta is more brazen : he uses his arm as a pillow as he dozes at 10:15 a.m. last Monday . Before releasing the photos , Lepore hesitated , knowing it would likely cost the guards their jobs . But ultimately he decided the security of thousands outweighed the job security of two . `` If there 's two people on this bridge who do n't care about my safety and the safety of anybody who comes over this bridge , then I really do n't have an obligation to withhold what I have , '' he said . Given the George Washington Bridge 's iconic status and huge traffic volume , officials have long cited it as a potential terrorist target . Lepore said he was moved to photograph the slumbering sentries after witnessing the same guard napping on three occasions . `` The first time I shrugged it off and said , ' I ca n't believe he 's sleeping , ' '' said Lepore . `` The second time I was very annoyed . Third time -- that 's it . '' Lepore said he later approached the guard , told him he had caught him asleep at his post three times , and said he had the photos to prove it . The profusely apologetic guard vowed it would not happen again . Three weeks later , it did happen again , but this time with a different guard , according to Lepore . Instead of discreetly taking photos from a distance , an indignant Lepore marched up to the guard 's booth and snapped away . The guard did not stir . The sleeping guards were employees of FJC Security , a security contractor used by the Port Authority , which operates the George Washington Bridge along with all other bridges leading into Manhattan . In a statement , the Port Authority sought to assure commuters it views security as an issue of utmost importance , and urged people to report holes they notice in its defenses . `` The Port Authority takes the safety of its passengers and facilities very seriously and has spent more than $ 4 billion on security since 9/11 . The Port Authority welcomes the public 's vigilance on matters of safety and security and we encourage our customers to contact us if they encounter anything out of the ordinary , '' the agency said . Although the guards ' names were not released , the Port Authority said in its statement , `` The two guards have been fired by the security contractor , FJC Security . '' FJC Security did not respond to CNN 's calls for comment . Fran Townsend , a CNN contributor and former Bush homeland security adviser , called the guards ' naps a serious lapse . `` It is unacceptable , particularly given the experience the Port Authority had with 9/11 , '' she said , referring to the Port Authority 's role as the operator of the World Trade Center . | George Washington Bridge guards lose jobs after being caught napping on duty . Joey Lepore says he took photos of one guard sleeping at post three times . Guards worked for FJC Security , a security contractor used by the Port Authority . | [[57, 105], [185, 262], [57, 105], [476, 525], [578, 621], [1287, 1410], [1299, 1301], [1312, 1410], [1583, 1589], [1627, 1684], [2047, 2097], [2100, 2148]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Let those other filmmakers focus on world destruction or masked superheroes or beautiful people doing beautiful things . Jason Bateman plays the owner of an extract factory in `` Extract , '' Mike Judge 's latest . Mike Judge prefers to deal with real life . Judge , writer and director of `` Office Space '' and co-creator of the TV series `` King of the Hill , '' has long liked to set his work in the world of malfunctioning copiers and beer-drinking propane salesmen . Even his wicked satire of the future , `` Idiocracy , '' focused on the inanities of everyday life , just set 500 years from now . His new film , `` Extract , '' is no exception : It 's about a factory owner , Joel -LRB- Jason Bateman -RRB- , who must deal with a host of employee problems as well as a chilly wife . Of course , Joel 's solutions are n't exactly the stuff of Solomon , but such is the way of comedy . Bateman understands Judge 's motivations . `` He likes to keep everything very middle-of-the-road common people , small town , small problems , relatable , blue-collar , '' said the actor , who called Judge `` a ninja of comedy . '' `` And those people , they run extract factories ; they make drywall . I mean , it 's the stuff that we all need often goes unnoticed ; he likes to write about those people , and I 'm glad he does . '' `` Extract , '' which also stars Mila Kunis , Kristen Wiig , J.K. Simmons and a long-haired and heavily bearded Ben Affleck , opens Friday . Judge talked to CNN about his subject matter and his cast . The following is an edited version of the interview . CNN : Where did this idea come from ? I 'd read that you worked in a factory before . Mike Judge : Yeah , it kind of came from all over the place . I 've worked many jobs , and I did work in a factory a couple times -- a place that made guitar amps , and then I worked in a place in Albuquerque -LSB- New Mexico -RSB- , where I grew up , that stuffed those snack boxes with Fritos and candy bars and stuff . CNN : Casting for the film , how did that come together ? Did you have a set idea in your head ? Judge : When I first wrote the first draft , I was n't thinking about anybody in particular and , then I saw `` Arrested Development '' years later . I -LSB- 'd -RSB- put the script on the shelf and thought Jason Bateman would be perfect , so I did a rewrite thinking about him but no one in particular for the other characters . I just wrote it and then just did kind of the normal casting process . But then , we were reading people for the character of -LSB- Joel 's friend -RSB- Dean , and my casting director comes in one day and said , `` Ben Affleck is interesting . '' And I thought , `` Really , I 've never met the guy . '' And I -LSB- also -RSB- thought , `` Yeah , but he 's like strapping , handsome leading-man guy . '' Then I started thinking about it , and I love him when he 's a character actor like in `` Dazed and Confused '' or `` Shakespeare in Love , '' and then I met him , and he just got it . He had this take on him based on a guy he went to high school with . We did a read-through the script , and him and Jason just killing me , I just thought it was just really funny . You know , he was willing to get out of his leading man look and grow a beard . It was really fun . CNN : It was fun to see him do that . It was a different dynamic . Judge : Yeah . I think Ben , actually , I think he enjoyed being this character . I think he has n't gotten to do something like that in a while . In fact , we had a big break -LSB- during shooting -RSB- . ... And he has one scene in the factory , so he had like maybe two or three weeks between the bulk of it and that last scene in it . I got the sense he was really happy to come back and put on his `` Dean '' get-up and get back into that character . He was just really fun . CNN : And Joel , he 's a nice guy who just wants to have sex with his wife . It seems pretty simple . Judge : Yeah , and I think he , you know , he , he wants kind of simple things , and he 's worked so hard . It 's maybe be a little bit of a mid-life crisis he 's going through , I think . And he just sort of tests the waters , dips his toe in , doing something a little crazy , and then just everything goes to hell for him . CNN : We saw this with `` Office Space , '' too , making the workplace funny . What 's that process like ? Judge : Well , to me , I think there 's a lot of interesting characters -LSB- at work -RSB- , and just the dynamics of a workplace are really ... funny to me . I 've had a lot of jobs , and I think there 's a lot of material there and , I just remember thinking , growing up in the '80s , thinking like everyone on TV shows and movies , these characters seem to have like endless cash . You never see , -LSB- when you -RSB- become an adult and even as a teenager , it 's like , `` OK , I got ta pay my car insurance , and I got ta do this and that . '' And then you get a job , and it 's like , you 're there all day . ... I do n't know , I think if your soul does n't get stomped out of you , you can still see the comedy in all of it . So I 'd wanted to do something that 's set in more a blue-collar place like a factory , and it 's told from the point of view of the guy who owns it and sympathetic to him instead of the employee angry at the bosses . CNN : Why extract ? Are you an extract expert ? Judge : -LRB- laughs -RRB- Well , there was a couple of reasons . There was a book lying around my freshman year in the college dorms that was about food flavoring , and I actually just thought it was kind of interesting . Then years later , south of Austin -LSB- Texas -RSB- , there used to be this really great building ; it was the Adams Extract Factory . ... My Realtor one day , we were looking at a house , and he points to a really nice house in this neighborhood , and he says , `` That 's where the Adams Extract people live . '' It 's just this odd item that 's in every grocery store in the country , but you do n't think about it much , and when I 'd say that that 's what it 's about , people start laughing . So I figured I 'm one step ahead of it there . | Mike Judge 's new movie , `` Extract , '' is comedy set in a factory . Judge gravitates towards the workplace , sees `` a lot of material '' in jobs . Film stars Jason Bateman , who calls `` Office Space '' creator `` a ninja of comedy '' | [[4605, 4645]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Motor Sport 's governing body , the FIA , have formally confirmed the entry list for the 2010 Formula One season -- with potential newcomers US F1 omitted from the grid . The financially-troubled team had asked the FIA if they could miss the first four races of the season in order to attract extra sponsorship , but have instead been told that they must re-apply if they are to be on the grid for the following season . The official entry list shows 12 teams and 24 drivers -- two teams more than last season . Three new teams are lining up -- Lotus , Virgin Racing and Hispania Racing -- with Toyota deciding to leave the sport . There are also two team name changes . Last year 's winning constructor 's Brawn GP have been taken over by Mercedes , while BMW Sauber have reverted back to being the Sauber team , although they have to retain the BMW title for this season due to legal obligations . Meanwhile , there is also no place on the grid for the proposed Serbian-backed Stefan GP team , who had been hoping to gain a late entry in place of US F1 . An official FIA statement read : `` The US F1 Team have indicated they will not be in a position to participate in the 2010 FIA Formula One world championship . `` Having considered the various options , the FIA confirms it is not possible for a replacement team to be entered for the championship at this late stage . `` In the coming days the FIA will announce details of a new selection process to identify candidates to fill any vacancies existing at the start of the 2011 season . '' US F1 have faced a race against time to have their car ready for the grid , after a number of sponsors opted to pull out the project . Production of the car had been stopped with the team struggling to pay wages , resulting in a number of staff choosing to leave . Team principal Ken Anderson is yet to comment on whether he will attempt to make the grid for the 2011 season . The decision leaves Argentinian Jose Maria Lopez , who had already been offered a drive with US F1 , without a team . Tuesday also saw the final driver appointment confirmed , with Karun Chandhok becoming the second Indian to compete in the sport having been named by Hispania Racing . The 26-year-old follows in the footsteps of Narain Karthikeyan , who had one season with Jordan in 2005 . There will be four world champions on the grid ; Jenson Button , Lewis Hamilton , Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso , while 11 of the 24 drivers have experienced winning a grand prix . Official 2010 Formula One grid : . 1 . Jenson Button GB McLaren Mercedes . 2 . Lewis Hamilton GB McLaren Mercedes . 3 . Michael Schumacher Ger Mercedes GP 4 . Nico Rosberg Ger Mercedes GP 5 . Sebastian Vettel Ger Red Bull Racing 6 . Mark Webber Aus Red Bull Racing 7 . Felipe Massa , Brz Ferrari 8 . Fernando Alonso Sp Ferrari 9 . Rubens Barrichello Brz Williams 10 . Nico Hulkenberg Ger Williams 11 . Robert Kubica , Pol Renault 12 . Vitaly Petrov Rus Renault 13 . Adrian Sutil Ger Force India 14 . Vitantonio Liuzzi It Force India 15 . Sebastien Buemi Swi Toro Rosso 16 . Jaime Alguersuari Sp Toro Rosso 17 . Jarno Trulli It Lotus Racing 18 . Heikki Kovalainen Fin Lotus Racing 19 . Karun Chandhok Ind Hispanic Racing 20 . Bruno Senna Brz Hispanic Racing 21 . Pedro de la Rosa Sp BMW Sauber 22 . Kamui Kobayashi Jpn BMW Sauber 23 . Timo Glock Ger Virgin Racing 24 . Luca di Grassi Brz Virgin Racing . | FIA confirm official entry list for the 2010 Formula One season . There is no place on the grid for struggling newcomers US F1 . Proposed Serbian-backed Stefan GP team have also been denied entry . | [[0, 15], [61, 131], [1162, 1236], [140, 189], [919, 928], [931, 1012], [966, 1014], [1019, 1075]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- New York 's Commission on Public Integrity is charging Gov. David Paterson with an ethics violation for accepting free tickets to the first game of last year 's World Series , the commission said Wednesday . Paterson violated the state 's restriction on gifts for public officials in October when he sought free tickets to the game in Yankee Stadium between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies , the commission said . The commission also said Paterson lied under oath about intending to pay for the tickets . The governor 's office said it was reviewing the commission 's findings . `` Governor Paterson maintains his innocence and intends to challenge the findings of the commission both with respect to the law and the facts , '' the office said . `` The governor takes this matter very seriously and intends to fully cooperate with any further inquiries or investigations , but believes the commission has acted unfairly in this matter . '' The governor could face an $ 80,000 fine for violating the state 's gift ban for public officials and up to $ 10,000 if he is found to have used his official position to secure unwarranted privileges . The commission has asked New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and the Albany County district attorney to investigate whether Paterson or `` anyone else '' committed a crime during the governor 's interview with the commission and by causing a check to be back-dated . Paterson , who announced last week that he would not run for election to a full term , has faced controversy since news reports charged that his aide was involved in a domestic violence incident with a woman and that state police later allegedly pressured her to keep quiet . The aide , David Johnson , has been suspended without pay . Paterson has asked Cuomo , a possible contender for the governor 's office , to investigate the matter . Johnson was among the four guests who attended the October 28 game with Paterson , the Commission on Public Integrity said . He also was involved in obtaining the tickets , which cost $ 425 a piece , from the Yankees , the commission said in its notice of reasonable cause . According to the commission , the governor testified that he decided he should attend Game One of the World Series and directed Johnson to get tickets from the Yankees . The governor told his aide that the request should include tickets for his son , Alex , and his son 's friend . Johnson then told the governor 's scheduler , Matthew Nelson , to contact the Yankees about five or six tickets . Johnson said Paterson would be attending in a `` ceremonial capacity . '' Based on Johnson 's representation , the commission said , `` the Yankees did not expect payment for any tickets because the tickets were for official business . '' They had requested a letter from the governor 's counsel confirming that , and the counsel had sent a letter saying so , the commission said . The Yankees said they require such confirmation or payment when public officials request tickets , the commission said . However , the commission said , the governor did not participate in opening ceremonies for the game and was not announced to the crowd . He also did not meet with first lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden 's wife , Jill Biden , who attended the game , or members of the Yankees organization , the commission said . In testimony , the governor said he always intended to pay for the tickets for his son and his son 's friend . He said he had taken a check to the game for the tickets , filling out the date and the $ 850 but leaving the payee section blank . `` While he had no opportunity to pay while at the stadium , the governor testified that he gave the check to Johnson and asked him to send the check to the Yankees , '' the commission said . However , the commission said that it had compared the handwriting on the check with that of the governor 's handwriting on other documents and that the governor did not write the check sent to the Yankees . `` The handwriting on the check that Johnson forwarded to the Yankees as payment for his ticket to Game One reveals that the same person who wrote and signed the governor 's check also wrote and signed Johnson 's check , '' the commission said . The check Paterson said he wrote is dated October 27 , the day before Game One , the commission said , although the governor said he had written the check on the day of the game . In its notice of of reasonable cause , the commission also cited testimony from the governor 's communications director , Peter Kauffmann , whom a New York Post reporter had asked about payment for the tickets . Kauffmann said that he had discussed the game several times with Paterson and Johnson and that the governor indicated to him that Yankees President Randy Levine , a law school classmate of Paterson 's , had invited Paterson to the game , the commission said . `` During this conversation , the governor said nothing to Kauffmann about his intention to pay for the tickets for his son or his son 's friend , nor did the governor mention anything about having previously written a check for $ 850 and giving it to Johnson as payment to the Yankees , '' the commission said . The reporter later told Kauffmann that the Yankees disputed Paterson 's account , saying Levine had never invited the governor to the game , the commission said . Kauffmann confronted the governor , who `` then conceded to Kauffmann that Levine had not explicitly invited him to Game One , '' the commission said . The commission also said the governor and his son attended last year 's Opening Day at Yankee Stadium and at Citi Field , where the New York Mets play . `` The governor testified that he did not pay for his ticket or his son 's ticket '' for either event , the commission said . | New York ethics panel says governor accepted free World Series tickets . He lied under oath about intending to pay for tickets , commission says . Governor maintains his innocence , his office says . He could be hit with fines for violating ethics restrictions . | [[0, 24], [71, 201], [204, 235], [439, 460], [461, 475], [481, 551], [1983, 2024], [2175, 2202], [2931, 2952], [3380, 3401], [4921, 4942], [5397, 5418], [5828, 5849], [626, 670], [0, 24], [71, 201]] |
BURSA , Turkey -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian Wednesday became the first Armenian head of state to travel to Turkey to attend a soccer game between the two countries ' national teams . Armenian President Serzh Sarkasian -LRB- right -RRB- pictured with Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul during Gul 's visit to Yerevan in 2008 . Sarkisian and Turkish president Abdullah Gul arrived at the stadium in Bursa together in a car flying the national flags of both countries . In an exclusive interview with CNN before the game , Gul said the event opened a new chapter for relations between Armenia and Turkey . But when asked , he avoided saying whether the border between the two neighbors would be opened before 2010 . At the match , Turkish supporters vastly outnumbered Armenian fans and gave the Armenian national anthem the standard treatment for most visiting foreign teams -- they booed . Small pockets of Armenian supporters waved the tri-color flag of Armenia . Turkey won the World Cup qualifying group game 2-0 but with both countries already unable to progress to the 2010 tournament in South Africa , the significance of the game was in its symbolism . This round of `` football diplomacy , '' comes just days after the two governments signed a historic series of protocols to establish diplomatic relations between the two neighbors . `` This is going to be the biggest change in the South Caucasus since 1994 , '' said Gevorg Tel-Gabrielyan , the Armenia country director for the Eurasia Partnership Foundation . He was in Bursa on Wednesday , hosting a conference of Armenian and Turkish academics examining bilateral relations . `` If this happens , '' he added , `` its going to change geopolitics in the region . '' Armenia and Turkey have been separated by nearly a century of animosity and distrust . The protocols call for establishment of embassies in each others ' capitals , and for re-opening the Turkish-Armenian border , which has been closed since 1993 . The soccer game was also being held in Bursa , which centuries ago was the capital of the Ottoman Empire . Thousands of police were deployed to maintain strict security . On Tuesday , Turkey 's prime minister made a public appeal to Turkish football fans , to greet Sarkisian with hospitality and to avoid provocations . Despite strong support from the United States , the European Union and Russia , there is considerable opposition among nationalists in Turkey and Armenia to the peace process . Sarkisian has been met by angry protests both within Armenia and among the influential diaspora communities in the United States , France and Lebanon . Thousands of protesters in the Armenian capital marched to the country 's genocide memorial chanting `` no concessions to the Turks , '' last week . Armenia has long demanded that Turkey recognize the World War I-era massacre of hundreds of thousands of ethnic Armenians by Ottoman Turkish soldiers as genocide . Modern-day Turkey vehemently denies a genocide took place and is calling for an international commission of historical experts to examine these tragic events . Meanwhile , opposition party leaders in Turkey have criticized the agreement , as has Turkey 's close ally in the Caucasus , Azerbaijan . Azerbaijan fought and lost a war against Armenia in the early 1990s . On Sunday , Turkey 's prime minister made a fresh call for Armenia to withdraw its troops from the disputed Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabakh . For the new agreement to go into effect , the documents must first be put to a vote in the Turkish and Armenian parliaments . There is no guarantee lawmakers will ratify the agreement . The process of unraveling the complicated network of regional , domestic and historical grievances dividing Armenia and Turkey was jump-started in September of 2008 , when Gul traveled to Yerevan to attend a football match between the two national teams . The diplomatic rapprochement has also gotten valuable support from powerful patrons , experts say . `` This is one of the few places in the world where Russia and the United States are pulling in the same direction , '' says Hugh Pope , an expert on Turkey with the International Crisis Group . `` Both want to see a more stable Caucasus . '' Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were both present at the signing ceremony for the Turkish-Armenian agreement in Switzerland on Saturday . Wednesday 's game in Bursa was the final match for the coach of the Turkish national team , Fatih Terim , who announced his resignation after Turkey 's most recent football defeat . Despite that , the headline in one of Turkey 's biggest newspapers billed today 's football game `` Our most challenging match . '' | Armenian president 's visit comes amid thaw in relations between neighbors . Turkey , Armenia signed protocols at weekend to establish diplomatic ties . President Sarkisian has faced angry protests at home over rapprochement . Sarkisian attends soccer match ; Gul attended match in Yerevan last year . | [[1245, 1364], [2498, 2572], [3841, 3924]] |
Santiago , Chile -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon arrived Friday in earthquake-damaged Chile , which endured two more strong aftershocks while working to recover from last week 's devastating earthquake and tsunami . `` I 'm here to express -LSB- the -RSB- solidarity of the United Nations , of the international community , to the people and government of Chile , '' Ban told reporters at the airport in the capital , Santiago . `` I know that this is one of the worst natural disasters in recent history of Chile ; at the same time , I 'm very moved to see such strong courage and fortitude and resilience of Chilean people , '' Ban said . Earlier , shortly before 9 a.m. Friday , an aftershock with a magnitude of 6.6 struck the area , the U.S. Geological Survey said . The aftershock followed another with a 6.0 magnitude , the survey said . The two are the latest in scores of aftershocks that have hit after the massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake and subsequent tsunami Saturday . Full coverage of Chile 's earthquake . Friday 's aftershocks did not cause any known injuries or damage , Chile 's National Emergency Office said , and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 's Tsunami Center did not issue any warnings . The tsunami and 8.8 magnitude earthquake -- the fifth-strongest worldwide since 1900 -- killed hundreds of people and toppled buildings , particularly in the Maule region along the coast . Shocking scenes hours after quake . Roads were torn up and power was cut off in many areas . Thousands have been left homeless . Food , water and the restoration of basic services , such as electricity , are top priorities , said the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs . The Chilean government , which is leading the rescue and relief efforts , has asked the United Nations for items such as field hospitals with surgical facilities , dialysis centers , generators , satellite phones , structural damage evaluation systems , saltwater purifying systems , mobile bridges and field kitchens . Ban said Friday that he will talk to Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and President-elect Sebastian Pinera about how the United Nations can best help . Pinera , a conservative billionaire businessman , takes office next week . The secretary-general said he will visit hard-hit Concepcion to assess the damage and will bring the matter to the United Nations . `` Now it is time for the United Nations and international community to stand with the Chilean people and government , '' he said , after noting the Chileans ' generosity in helping Haiti after its 7.0 earthquake on January 12 . That quake flattened much of the Haitian capital , Port-au-Prince , and killed hundreds of thousands of people . A 24-hour telethon , `` Chile Helps Chile , '' which organizers hope will raise $ 27 million for earthquake victims , was scheduled for Friday . Residents in devastated Constitucion expressed a determination to rebuild . `` It very hard , but it 's not impossible . We have to be strong ; we have to reinvent ourselves , '' said resident Antonieta Biachi . `` You have to start from scratch ; there is no other option . '' Though he is not yet in office , Pinera has named six officials to lead recovery efforts . More than 13,000 soldiers and other military personnel have been dispatched to restore order in the earthquake-damaged area . Food and water began to arrive earlier this week in Concepcion , and officials said they distributed 3,500 aid packages Wednesday . But many residents have complained that federal aid has been slow to arrive . A six-member U.S. Agency for International Development disaster response team has been sent to Chile to assist with relief effort , said State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley . The team should arrive Saturday , he said . A USAID contractor also is embedded with the Chilean National Emergency Response Office , the country 's equivalent of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency . The United States sent 71 satellite phones , plastic sheeting and two mobile water treatment units , the U.S. State Department said . Six more water treatment units are to arrive within a week . A field hospital and two C-130 aircraft to assist with moving supplies around the country have also been deployed . The United States also sent $ 1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to aid their efforts . Bachelet toured parts of central and southern Chile on Thursday . She visited Talcahuano , where the tsunami roared through many parts of the seaport town . Bachelet also toured Talca , the capital of Maule . `` This is the time for action , '' she said later Thursday on returning to Santiago , where she met leaders of the Catholic Church , a partner in providing help in the quake 's aftermath . The top priority remained the needs of survivors , followed by reconstruction efforts , Bachelet said . Chile has announced three days of national mourning beginning Sunday . Every house has been authorized to hang the national flag in memory of those who perished . The death toll was revised downward Thursday as authorities reviewed discrepancies in the reported number of dead in the Maule region . The casualty count there included more than 200 people who are missing but not confirmed dead , said Deputy Interior Minister Patricio Rosende . Therefore , the official nationwide death toll is lower than the 802 figure given by emergency authorities . To limit confusion , Rosende read aloud the names of 279 Chileans who had been killed and identified by Thursday evening . He said would update that official number regularly . The new tally does not account for hundreds of unidentified victims . With disasters of this magnitude , `` the number of dead change daily , '' Rosende said . `` It takes months sometimes to compile the information , because one of the biggest problems in the affected areas is the lack of precision and uncertainty at the scene . '' Despite the disaster , the Chilean Davis Cup tennis team will open competition Saturday in Coquimbo , Chile , against Israel . Team officials and players said they would be playing in honor of quake victims . `` It will be difficult , but we will do our best for our country , '' said player Fernando Gonzalez . CNN 's Brian Byrnes , Sara Sidner , David Ariosto , Elise Labott , and Karl Penhaul contributed to this report . | Ban Ki-moon arrives to meet leaders , survey damage . Two strong aftershocks , magnitudes 6.0 and 6.6 , strike Friday morning . Chilean government asks U.N. for field hospitals with surgical facilities , generators . Some Chileans complain federal aid has been slow to arrive to quake-hit region . | [[2287, 2418], [2314, 2368], [89, 113], [122, 237], [663, 670], [673, 701], [704, 757], [794, 846], [1737, 1759], [1801, 2056], [3537, 3610]] |
-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- October 27 , 2009 . Downloadable Maps . Download PDF maps related to today 's show : • Afghanistan & Pakistan • Los Angeles & San Diego • Ft. Jackson , South Carolina . Transcript . THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT . THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED . NATISHA LANCE , CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR : A member of the military is making history . We 'll explain how in today 's edition of CNN Student News . Hi , everyone . Carl Azuz is off this week . I 'm Natisha Lance . First Up : Afghan Crashes . LANCE : First up , Pakistan and Afghanistan . The countries share a border , and they also share a common problem : threats from militant groups and terrorists like the Taliban and al Qaeda . It 's an issue facing both nations ' governments , and one that the U.S. government is concerned about as well . That 's why President Obama has been holding a series of meetings with some of his advisers . They 're reviewing the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan . Samantha Hayes has the latest on those meetings and on the violence in the region . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . SAMANTHA HAYES , CNN CORRESPONDENT , WASHINGTON , D.C. : Two helicopter crashes make it the deadliest day in four years for Americans in Afghanistan . While a NATO security force spokesman says enemy fire is not to blame , the loss of 14 Americans comes while President Barack Obama is considering a request to send thousands more troops to the region to fight al Qaeda . The president addressed service men and women in Jacksonville , Florida Monday , after a White House meeting with his national security team . U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA : Fourteen Americans gave their lives , and our prayers are with these service members , their civilian colleagues and the families who loved them . HAYES : The deadliest of the two crashes happened following a raid on suspected drug traffickers , and three DEA agents were among those killed . Also among the dead , three U.S. civilians , members of the embassy community . The State Department says the efforts of civilians and other nonmilitary personnel are essential to the overall mission . JACOB LEW , DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE : Improving Afghan governance , providing security , justice , jobs and services , and giving the Afghan people a meaningful alternative , as much as possible , to the Taliban 's recruiting . HAYES : Democratic Senator John Kerry , off of a recent trip to the region , addressed those efforts and the U.S. relationship with the Afghan government in a Washington speech . SEN. JOHN KERRY , -LRB- D -RRB- MASSACHUSETTS : The fact that the Afghan government has not prosecuted a single high level drug trafficker damages all of our efforts because it goes to the fundamental question of credibility . HAYES : President Obama 's White House meeting was the sixth in a series of high-level discussions about what to do in Afghanistan , as the administration awaits results from that country 's November 7th presidential runoff . For CNN Student News , I 'm Samantha Hayes . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . I.D. Me . CNN STUDENT NEWS : See if you can I.D. Me ! I was born in 1939 in Searchlight , Nevada . I was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986 , and I 'm currently the Senate Majority Leader , which means I 'm the highest ranking member of the Senate 's majority party . I 'm Harry Reid , a Democrat who is the senior senator from Nevada . Public Option . LANCE : And in that role as majority leader , it 's Sen. Reid 's job to help combine health care bills from different committees into a single bill that can be presented to the entire Senate . Yesterday , Sen. Reid announced that the combined bill will include a government-run health care program ; what 's been called the public option . During his announcement , Reid also said that the bill will let individual states choose not to take part in the public option . They would have until the year 2014 to make that decision . This has been one of the most controversial issues in the debate over health care reform . Critics argue that if companies use the public option , then some people might lose the health care coverage that they currently have and are happy with . But Sen. Reid believes it 's an important part of the reform . SEN. HARRY REID , -LRB- D-NV -RRB- SENATE MAJORITY LEADER : I believe that the public option can achieve a goal of bringing meaningful reform to our broken system . It will protect consumers , keep insurers honest , ensure competition , and that 's why we intend to include it in the bill that we submitted , that will be submitted to the Senate . Tea Party Protests . LANCE : Meanwhile , the Tea Party Express is back on the road , protesting issues like government involvement in health care . The Express , which is named for both the organization and its bus , launched a new tour Sunday in California with rallies in San Diego and Los Angeles , where some people actually showed up to protest the Tea Party protesters . The Express plans to hold demonstrations in dozens of cities over the next several weeks . One of the group 's main goals is the push for less government involvement , and these rallies also aim to give people who feel that way an opportunity to express their views . CHRIS KEAYS , TEA PARTY PROTESTER : We need to get back to the days when we were responsible and we assumed the responsibility of ourselves and our families , and the government is not a part of my daily life . I really resent the government taking up so much of my time that I 'm down here having to protest right now . New Jobs Outlook . LANCE : And some potentially good news for the U.S. economy : A new survey indicates that companies are planning to hire more employees in the very near future . The report from the National Association of Business Economics says for the first time since the recession started nearly two years ago , the number of employers planning to hire workers over the next six months is higher than the number of jobs that are expected to be cut during that same time . The country 's current unemployment rate is 9.8 percent . That 's the highest the statistic has been in more than a quarter century . Shoutout . TOMEKA JONES , CNN STUDENT NEWS : Time for the Shoutout ! What base is home to the U.S. Army 's Drill Sergeant School ? If you think you know it , shout it out ! Is it : A -RRB- Fort Bragg , B -RRB- Fort Hood , C -RRB- Fort Jackson or D -RRB- Fort Knox ? You 've got three seconds -- GO ! You 'll find the Army 's Drill Sergeant School at Fort Jackson , South Carolina . That 's your answer and that 's your Shoutout ! Top Drill Sergeant . LANCE : Drill sergeants are responsible for training tens of thousands of soldiers every year . And the head of the Drill Sergeant School , its commandant , is responsible for training them . The current commandant broke new ground when she took over the position last month because she 's the first she to head up the school . Jason Carroll introduces us to this trailblazing soldier . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . JASON CARROLL , CNN CORRESPONDENT : Historically , this is the image of the military drill sergeant : a tough guy . That was then ; this is now . At 48 , Command Sergeant Major Teresa King is the first woman to lead the Army 's Drill Sergeant Training School . What are you looking for ? I mean , because it all pretty much looks like everybody 's exercising to me . CMD . SGT. MAJOR TERESA KING : I 'm looking for attention to detail , conformance . CARROLL : Before sunrise at Ft. Jackson , South Carolina , King readies her drill instructor candidates for a rigorous run . What 's wrong with that ? KING : That 's too big , Top . You need to break it up . UNIDENTIFIED MALE : Fall out ! CARROLL : She leads by example . King runs the five-mile course from the front of the pack , outperforming men half her age . STAFF SGT. LERON DELANEY , U.S. ARMY : She 's older than me , so if I fall out and she 's still running , I feel bad . CARROLL : Extinguishing those who think a woman ca n't be commandant . SGT. 1ST CLASS MICHAEL CHILDS , U.S. ARMY : We 've got to stay on top of our game even more than we used to with her , because she 's that sharp . CARROLL : King says she wakes up some mornings still shocked she is commandant . KING : I had never considered it , although I 've been in training for about seven years . But I never considered it , the Drill Sergeant School . CARROLL : King 's first Army job some 30 years ago was postal clerk , but her hero , General George Patton , inspired her . KING : I saw that he had the respect of his men . And I saw he was resolute . CARROLL : King eventually rose through the ranks , excelling at training infantry men and paratroopers alike . KING : I 'm doing what I 've always done . It 's just now , people are paying attention to it . CARROLL : And to her opinions . The military prohibits women from serving in front line combat roles . King trains men for combat and thinks it 's time to train qualified women . KING : I think if they can do it , they should be allowed to do it . CARROLL : The reality : Women make up 14 percent of active soldiers in the Army . Some women question how many others will follow in King 's footsteps . OPERATIONS SGT. ANGELA ANDREWS , U.S. ARMY : I would n't say it opens the door , but it may crack it somewhat . CARROLL : King says she will continue to lead by example . KING : I have vision . And I believe I can cause people to do some things that they thought they never could do . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . Before We Go . AZUZ : Before we go , some science projects can balloon out of control . Which was the whole point of this experiment in Indiana . College students filled this high altitude balloon with helium and then let it fly away . The thing actually climbed 90,000 feet before ... awww . Looks like their bubble burst . Actually , they knew it would . The cameras and sensors inside the balloon gently parachuted back to the ground . So in the end , the experiment was a total success . Goodbye . AZUZ : Just do n't tell that to the students . We would n't want them to get an inflated ego . That 's all the time we have for today . For CNN Student News , I 'm Natisha Lance . | Consider U.S. efforts to offer Afghan citizens an alternative to the Taliban . Hear how a proposed health care bill addresses the issue of the public option . Meet a soldier who is making history at the U.S. Army Drill Sergeant School . Use the Daily Discussion to help students understand today 's featured news stories . | [[3748, 3789]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Despite revelations in a congressional investigation of a subsidiary 's mismanagement and questionable vetting of employees , the company formerly known as Blackwater could soon win millions of dollars in new job orders for work in Afghanistan . A subsidiary of Xe , the new name for Blackwater , is eligible to win Department of Defense work worth tens of millions of dollars to train Afghan police , according to a Pentagon official . Five companies were qualified to bid on the training and training-support contracts , including Raytheon , Northrop Grumman , Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems , ARINC and the U.S. Training Center . U.S. Training Center is a subsidiary company owned by Xe . The Pentagon contract is to be announced next month . Xe has not been officially notified whether it will be awarded the contract , according to a company spokesman . `` We have not been awarded either and have no knowledge of the status of those contracts , '' said Xe spokesman Mark Corallo . An industry official told CNN that Xe made bids on two task orders under the training program , one for the actual training of Afghan police and one for logistics support for such training . Once awarded , the new orders would be in effect until August 2012 , according to a Department of Defense statement . Since 2007 , the company , then called Blackwater , has held the rights to bid against the other four companies on a pool of jobs worth as much as $ 15 billion . Xe still holds numerous contracts under three company names in Afghanistan for support of military and intelligence operations . Those companies are US Training Center , Greystone and Presidential Airways . The company has a troubled past both in Iraq and Afghanistan . It was banned from operating in Iraq by the government there after a shooting incident left Iraqi civilians dead and injured . That incident strained relations between the United States and Iraq . In May 2009 , four contractors in Kabul were involved in a shooting incident that left two Afghan civilians dead . Two of the contractors are now facing charges in the United States . A congressional investigation found evidence that the company that hired them , a Xe subsidiary called Paravant , armed the employees despite having no permission to do so from the U.S. military . The probe also found that the company illicitly obtained the guns used in the shooting , and hundreds of others , from a stockpile of weapons meant for the use of the Afghan military and police . On Wednesday Xe officials were called before the Senate Armed Service Committee to discuss that shooting incident . The committee 's chairman , Carl Levin , D-Michigan , said an Army investigation appeared to find that the contract personnel had `` violated alcohol consumption policies , were not authorized to possess weapons , violated use-of-force rules and violated movement-control policies . '' He said one of the keys to beating the Taliban in Afghanistan is the ability of U.S. forces to win support from the Afghan people , many of whom do not distinguish between U.S. contractors and the U.S. military . Xe Services Vice President Fred Roitz acknowledged the company 's culpability in the 2009 incident in his opening statement to the panel . In the statement , Roitz said , `` the new Xe Services would act differently today . We simply will not send our personnel overseas without a proper authorization for a weapon -LRB- where needed -RRB- and without full compliance with all requirements . '' He said the company has `` put in place new leadership and procedures to help ensure this commitment is kept . '' On Thursday , Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell defended the military 's oversight of contractors . `` We 've made a lot of mistakes in both Iraq and Afghanistan . And we 've tried to address those mistakes in a number of ways , '' Morrell said . `` But as far as I know , people are being held to account for the mistakes and the violations that they have made . '' | A subsidiary of Xe , formerly Blackwater , bid on lucrative new training contract . Xe spokesman : No official word on whether company will be awarded contract . Since 2007 , Xe has held rights to bid against four other firms in a $ 15 billion jobs pool . The company has a troubled past both in Iraq and Afghanistan . | [[156, 196], [276, 294], [327, 429], [667, 725], [691, 725], [780, 892], [780, 782], [858, 892], [1330, 1340], [1343, 1361], [1369, 1491], [1699, 1761]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Aftershocks rattled southern Taiwan in the hours after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake shook the island , but left it relatively unscathed . Thursday morning 's quake was followed by more than 15 aftershocks , the largest reaching 4.8 . Taiwan 's interior ministry reported 12 minor injuries -- nine in Kaohsiung county , two in Jia Yi county and one in Tainan county . The quake struck about 8:20 a.m. -LRB- 7:20 p.m. Wednesday ET -RRB- in a mountainous region about 25 miles northwest of Taitung , on the southeast coast , and 40 miles east of Tainan and Kaohsiung on the southwest coast . The region includes Taiwan 's Maolin National Scenic Area and is still recovering from a direct hit by Typhoon Morakot that killed hundreds in August . The typhoon dumped more than two feet of rain , causing serious mudslides in the south , including one that buried the village of Shiao Lin under 50 feet of mud . Shuo Hong , an orthopedic surgeon in Taipei , about 155 miles away from the epicenter , felt the earthquake during a meeting at a hospital . `` We were debating whether or not to run for shelter , but the hospital is safe , '' he said `` It is built to resist a 7.0-magnitude earthquake . `` It was shaking for about 20 to 30 seconds , shaking more than what we expected , '' Hong said . Were you there ? Did you feel it ? The Taiwan Ministry of Interior and the National Fire Agency said electricity was cut off in parts of Kaohsiung county , Jia Yi city and Jia Yi county . Taiwan 's official news agency reported that a fire broke out in Jia Yi city . Residents in southern Taiwan reported cracks in some buildings and major bridges . Train service was also disrupted in some areas , Taiwanese media reported . Two small hotels near the epicenter that were contacted by CNN reported no damage , though the buildings shook for a few seconds during the quake . Albert Yu , communications manager of the humanitarian organization World Vision , told CNN he was about half-way through a 90-minute trip via high-speed train from Taipei to Tainan when the quake struck . Passengers did not feel the quake , he said , but operators stopped the train and announced what had happened before inspecting the tracks for stability . During the delay , Yu said people were calm , `` opening laptops ... and chatting with people around them . '' Yu said World Vision `` has already been on high alert responding to the quakes in Haiti and Chile , so we 're closely monitoring reports in the earthquake in southern Taiwan . '' Residents in Taipei , the capital , also felt the shaking . Earthquakes are far from uncommon on the nearly 14,000-square-mile island -- about the size of the U.S. states of Maryland and Delaware combined -- which sits across the juncture of the Eurasian and Philippine tectonic plates . A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck the same general region in December . The island took a double hit on December 26 , 2006 , when earthquakes of 7.1 and 6.9 magnitude hit eight minutes apart . The largest recorded quake to strike Taiwan was an 8.0-magnitude quake in 1920 , but the worst earthquake disaster stemmed from a 7.1-magnitude quake in 1935 that killed more than 3,200 people -- followed by a 6.5-magnitude quake that killed more than 2,700 people three months later . More recently , a 7.6-magnitude earthquake killed more than 2,400 people in 1999 . CNN 's Christine Theodorou and Journalist Andrew Lee contributed to this report . | NEW : Quake followed by more than 15 aftershocks , the largest reaching 4.8 . 6.4 quake rocks southern Taiwan at about 0120 GMT ; no immediate reports of deaths . Quake hits northwest of Taitung , on the southeast coast . Residents in southern Taiwan report blackouts ; train services disrupted . | [[155, 221], [224, 250], [0, 15], [74, 117], [1344, 1496], [1410, 1496], [1659, 1705]] |
Kabul , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The man believed to be the suicide bomber who killed seven CIA employees and contractors last year appears in a newly released video , claiming to have tricked Jordanian intelligence officers as a double agent . The 43-minute video , posted on various Islamic radical Web sites Saturday , shows Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi , whom a former U.S. intelligence official identified as the suicide bomber . Family members have said that the man in the video , who uses the alias Abu Dajana Al-Khorasani , is al-Balawi . A much shorter version of the video was posted online in January . The December 30 bombing at a U.S. base in Khost , in southeastern Afghanistan , killed seven CIA operatives and a Jordanian army captain . The video posted Saturday is dated `` Safar 1431 '' on the lunar calendar , which includes any day between January 16 , 2010 and February 13 , 2010 . In the video , al-Balawi says killing the CIA team was n't part of the initial plan . `` We planned for something but got a bigger gift -- a gift from God -- who brought us ... a valuable prey : Americans , and from the CIA . '' The video opens with a montage of images -- including clips of torture and meetings of world leaders , such as former President George W. Bush with Jordan 's King Abdullah and President Obama . A narrator criticizes the `` infidel West , '' and talks of crimes against Muslims . Al-Balawi then appears on the video , vowing to bring down the CIA and saying how he deceived Jordanian officials into believing he worked for them . `` Look , this is for you , '' he says to the camera , while sitting in a vehicle . `` It 's not a watch . It 's a detonator to kill as many as I can , God willing . '' Later in the video , al-Balawi gives an interview to As-Sahab Media , the production wing of al Qaeda . He says he had tried to join `` jihad '' in Iraq after the start of the U.S.-led war there . He began to write on online forums about jihad , he tells an unidentified interviewer in a room . He says he found his opportunity to join the militant mission after being recruited by Jordanian officials as a spy in Afghanistan . Al-Balawi was recruited by Jordanian authorities as a counterterrorism intelligence source , a Jordanian official told CNN last month . `` Actually , Jordanian intelligence -- may God send consecutive curses on it -- is the one who gave me a large amount of money , it is the one who paid for my ticket , and it is the one who helped me to forge some documents I needed to get a Pakistani visa , '' the man in the video says . Jordanian and U.S. intelligence agencies apparently believed al-Balawi had been rehabilitated from his extremist views and were using him to hunt Ayman al-Zawahiri , al Qaeda 's No. 2 figure , a former U.S. intelligence official said . Al-Balawi claims in the video that the Jordanian authorities paid him and that the money went to support the Mujahedeen . `` So this is a new era for the Mujahedeen , God willing , in which the Mujahedeen will use intelligence-based tactics and methods which rival or even exceed those of the security apparatuses of the strongest of states , like Jordan and America , with the permission of Allah , Lord of the worlds , '' he says . Al-Balawi said he initially targeted a Jordanian official , referred to as Sharif Ali bin Zaid . The narrator said that Zaid , an army captain , was killed in the attack . `` So it was n't planned this way , '' al-Balawi said . `` The target was Abu Zaid , but the stupidity of Jordanian intelligence and the stupidity of American intelligence is what has turned it into a valuable prey . It 's a blessing from Allah . '' The man explained why he was choosing a suicide mission , or `` martyrdom , '' for his attack on the U.S. base in Khost . `` You can only get a maximum number of kills for a minimum number of martyrs and losses in the ranks of the Mujahedeen with a martyrdom operation , '' he said . | Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi has been ID 'd as bomber who killed 7 CIA agents . Newly released video shows al-Balawi describing what led to suicide attack . He says CIA team was not original target , but `` a gift from God , '' who sent `` valuable prey '' Al-Balawi says in video he fooled Jordanian officials into thinking he worked for them . | [[39, 46], [56, 137], [625, 672], [705, 763], [8, 35], [138, 171], [914, 926], [929, 999], [1000, 1005], [1032, 1068], [1065, 1068], [1076, 1088], [3655, 3684], [8, 35], [174, 250], [1422, 1431], [1460, 1550], [1422, 1431], [1493, 1571]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The pilot of a Boeing 737 was in the cockpit , preparing to take off with 101 passengers , when police arrested him for flying with a fake pilot 's license , investigators said . The 41-year-old Swedish man was poised to fly on Tuesday night from Amsterdam , in the Netherlands , to Ankara , Turkey , when investigators `` caught the pilot red-handed during his flight preparation , '' according to a statement from the Dutch National Police Services Agency . Authorities charged him with forgery and flying without a valid license , the statement said . It 's apparently not the first time the man , whose identity was not divulged , has tried to fly without a license . Investigators in Sweden charged the man several years ago with flying with a fake license , but they did not pursue the case because they could n't find him , said Anders Lundblad , a spokesman for the Swedish Transport Agency . The Swedes got a tip recently that the man was flying for a Turkish company and that he would soon be in the Netherlands , Lundblad said . They passed that information to Dutch police , which led to the pilot 's arrest at the Schiphol airport in Amsterdam . The man said he had flown for 13 years for companies in Belgium , Great Britain and Italy , the Dutch police said , though it was unclear whether he had a license for all or part of that time . He recently had a valid license to fly small commercial airplanes , but that license had expired and would not have allowed him to fly passenger aircraft , the Dutch statement said . Lundblad also said the man once had a valid pilot 's license . `` Why he never renewed it I guess only he knows , '' he said . CNN 's Per Nyberg and Claudia Rebazza contributed to this report . | 41-year-old Swedish man poised to fly from Amsterdam to Ankara . Authorities charged him with forgery and flying without a valid license . Swedish investigators charged man several years ago with flying with a fake license . | [[198, 275], [110, 174], [177, 197], [479, 526], [479, 490], [520, 550], [691, 780], [110, 174], [177, 197], [479, 526], [691, 780]] |
Mexico City , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A law allowing same-sex weddings took effect Thursday in Mexico City , one day after the second same-sex marriage was performed in Argentina . The Mexican measure also allows same-sex couples to adopt children . Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard has said officials will be prepared to implement the new city law . The Mexican Institute for Sexology , a private educational institution founded in 1979 , held a workshop last month for the 60 Civil Registry judges who will perform the weddings , said Juan Luis Alvarez-Gayou , the institute 's founder and director . Workshops are being held this week for 120 civil court judges who may have to rule on domestic issues after the weddings , Alvarez-Gayou said . The Catholic Church has been opposed to the law , but officials have accepted the measure , the institute director said . `` We have n't had any problems with the judges , '' Alvarez-Gayou said . The Mexico City law comes amid the beginning of wider acceptance for same-sex unions in Latin America . In Argentina , Damian Bernath and Jorge Salazar were married Wednesday in a civil ceremony in the nation 's capital , Buenos Aires , the official Telam news agency reported . Judicial measures had prevented gay marriage in Buenos Aires , but a judge issued a ruling last week allowing the two men to marry . It was the second same-sex marriage in Argentina . The previous wedding took place in Tierra del Fuego after two men were denied a permit in Buenos Aires . In that case , a Buenos Aires court had ruled that a ban on same-sex marriage was illegal and ordered the proper authorities to grant the couple a marriage license if they applied for one . On the eve of their December 1 wedding , however , another court filed an injunction , halting the nuptials . In many Latin American jurisdictions , the issue of same-sex marriage is decided on the local and state level . | Measure also allows same-sex couples to adopt children in Mexico 's capital city . Workshops held for 120 judges who may have to rule on domestic issues . Mexico City law comes as same-sex unions in Latin America slowly gain acceptance . On Wednesday , two men were married in civil ceremony in Buenos Aires , Argentina . | [[183, 202], [208, 251], [605, 666], [640, 666], [671, 725], [945, 1048], [1049, 1061], [1064, 1164]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.N. 's forest carbon scheme which has formed part of the negotiations at the climate talks in Copenhagen has been one of the few areas where countries are broadly in agreement . The U.N. 's REDD -LRB- Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries -RRB- program is a collaboration between the U.N. 's Food and Agriculture Organization -LRB- FAO -RRB- and Environmental -LRB- UNEP -RRB- and Development -LRB- UNDP -RRB- programs . Yemi Katerere , head of the U.N.-REDD program explained to CNN how the REDD program proposals would work . `` In theory REDD is a system to provide incentives for countries not to cut their forests , '' Katerere said . `` The incentive system is essentially that your trees are worth more standing than they are cut . You get a reward for not cutting your forests . '' The idea is straightforward ; If the function of rainforests -- capturing carbon , water catchment , weather regulators and biodiversity -- is recognized their value will rise . The destruction of the world 's rainforests is estimated to contribute to as much as 20 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions . REDD envisages a situation whereby `` different services can be marketed and paid for , boosting the incomes of other wise marginalized communities '' . Many pilot schemes are already underway . Back in 1997 when the Kyoto Protocol was adopted , the part rainforests play in carbon storage was n't recognized . Proposals to reduce emissions from deforestation were first introduced by the governments of Papua New Guinea in December 2005 at the COP11 talks in Canada . Talks at Copenhagen are hoping to build on the progress made since . REDD say that more than 30 models of how the program should work have been put forward by countries , groups of countries and NGOs . Katerere would n't be drawn on the outcome of negotiations at Copenhagen when CNN spoke to him on Thursday . Critics of the REDD program argue that it allows richer countries to meet -- to buy essentially -- some of their emissions obligations without cutting them at all . Others argue trying to measure what is being preserved and how much carbon is being stored will prove incredibly hard to quantify . But Katerere said an imperfect program which can be improved is better than none at all . `` We should stop focusing on the negatives issues of REDD and start looking at the positives . In the short term , REDD offers use the greatest mitigation potential at an affordable price and is the most cost effective . '' | U.N.-REDD program has received widespread support from countries at Copenhagen talks . The incentive system would mean that trees are worth more standing than cut . Critics argue that REDD allows rich countries to meet targets with cutting emissions . | [[711, 809], [1990, 2085]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- There are many reasons why Roz Savage is an extraordinary woman -- she has rowed single-handed across the Atlantic and is now tackling the Pacific , after all . Life changer : From successful career to ocean rower , Savage has been an inspiration for many . But her response to everyday commuter ennui is perhaps of the most remarkable things about her . Back in 2000 a 33-year-old Roz was facing another dreary journey by train to the office . She had a great job as a management consultant , money and a husband ; but deep down she knew something was missing . So , instead of just burying her feelings , she wrote two obituaries of herself . In one she kept going with life as it was . In the other she took a jump into the unknown and did the things she 'd always wanted to . From that moment on her life has never been the same . `` One-by-one , I shed the trappings of my old life , '' she writes on her web site . `` The job , the husband , the home , the little red sports car . I moved house with increasing regularity , wherever I could find cheap or preferably free accommodation . `` Little by little I began to realign my life , to put myself on track for the obituary I really wanted . '' Eventually she settled on the challenge that would in many ways define her : rowing the Atlantic single handed . It was , of course , incredibly hard , both physically and mentally . She had done some rowing while at the University of Oxford -- but the open ocean was a different challenge altogether . But she emerged a tougher , happier person on the other side , and is now deep into her new attempt to row the Pacific , a journey she hopes to use to raise awareness of environmental issues . The courage she has found , both to take on the might of the open ocean and give up safe , conventional notions of success to pursue her dreams has made Roz a hero to many people that hope to find inspiration in her life -- including a large number of CNN.com readers who have nominated her as a `` Green Inspiration '' . `` I feel a little embarrassed about it -- that must be the British in me ! '' she told CNN from the middle of the Pacific Ocean . `` I certainly do n't see myself as any kind of hero , just a human being trying to be the best human she can be . But at the same time I want to reach out to as many people as I can , because I wish I 'd had more positive role models to show me how good life can be , and if I can inspire just a few people to change their lives for the better , I 'll feel I 've lived a very blessed life . '' Rowing across the Pacific Ocean . On her journey she keeps the many people following her up to date with regular blog posts on her website . Posts range from the personal to the global , the reality of life on the open waves to plastic pollution , the North Pacific Garbage Patch , and how people could reduce the amount of waste they generate . `` I try to offer my life as an example of what can be done when a very ordinary person decides to do something out of the ordinary , '' she said . `` I love my life , and want to show people how much fun it can be when you get out there and grab life by the horns . It would be very selfish of me to keep this fantastic discovery to myself ! `` Every time I get a comment on my blog from someone who says they have changed their life as a result of reading about me and my adventures -- anything from composting their kitchen scraps to quitting their job to start out on an adventure of their own -- it gives me a huge warm glow of accomplishment . And it makes me feel even better when they tell me how much fun they are having doing it . Because that is what life is all about . '' But adventure does n't have to involve months alone in a rowing boat , with only sea birds , the sun and the wind for company . `` Everybody is different , and will find their own way , '' she said . `` For me , at the time when I decided to row oceans , I felt the need for a dramatic contrast to the very conventional life I 'd had before , and ocean rowing seemed to fit the bill . I do think that you learn things about yourself in extreme situations that you would n't learn in less testing circumstances . `` But the situation does n't have to be physically extreme . Parenthood , starting a new business , moving to a new town or a new country -- these are all ways to put yourself in a challenging new environment where you have to throw away your old preconceptions about what is or is not possible , and try out new approaches . '' Ever action has an effect . Roz 's advice for anyone stuck in a rut is do n't be afraid to fail . If you know what you want to do , then do n't be intimidated . Write a list of what you can do to achieve your goals . If there seems to be things on it you ca n't do yet , then Roz says it is n't detailed enough -- any task can be broken down into achievable steps . `` Everything is a learning experience if you allow it to be . I keep a journal -- on land and at sea -- and this really helps me to learn from my experiences , '' she said . At the core of her mission in the Pacific is a belief that we can not only transform our own lives through our actions , but our relationship to the natural world around us as well . `` There has been so much bad news about environmental issues that I think some people feel overwhelmed , '' she said . `` But there is something we can all do to make a difference -- and it all adds up . `` It 's about more than just using a re-usable bag , or picking up a piece of trash from a beach . It 's about an attitude and a way of thinking . `` Every action has effects beyond the action itself -- other people will see what you are doing and follow your example . It 's the ripple effect . And if we all pull together , we can make a world of difference . '' Fundamentally , her message is that life is for living and we learn as much from failure as success if we are open-minded and positive . `` My life now is so much more fulfilling and fun , and I 'm incredibly glad I took that leap of faith . There is nothing special about me that made me able to do it . If I can do it , anybody can -- if they want to . `` Get out there , live life large , make the world a better place -- and have fun ! '' Send us an email and tell us who you think deserves to be recognized as a Green Inspiration . | British woman swapped career for adventurous life and raising eco awareness . Rowed solo across Atlantic ; now attempting same feat across the Pacific Ocean . Her positive message has been inspirational to many across the world . `` I do n't see myself as a hero , just a human being trying to be the best she can be '' | [[1646, 1717], [83, 133], [86, 89], [138, 165], [168, 179], [1299, 1334], [1625, 1643], [2566, 2599], [235, 276], [2174, 2223], [2226, 2272], [2226, 2238], [2252, 2285]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Soccer star John Terry 's role as captain of England 's national team is in jeopardy following tabloid accusations of his marital infidelity , according to a British government minister . Terry is alleged to have had an affair with the ex-partner of his former Chelsea teammate Wayne Bridge , having failed in a high court bid to prevent newspapers publishing details of his liaison with Vanessa Perroncel . The 29-year-old has two children with his wife Toni , whom he married in June 2007 , and was named `` 2009 Dad of the Year '' by a British sauce maker . He reportedly earns more than $ 200,000 a week . French actress and model Perroncel had a child with Terry 's fellow England defender Bridge in 2006 . The pair have since separated but Bridge , who is now at English club Manchester City , said on Saturday that he would not be commenting for the sake of their son . Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said he would contact the English Football Association about the matter , the UK Press Association reported . `` On the field John Terry is a fantastic player and a good England captain , but to be the captain of England you have got to have wider responsibilities for the country , '' Sutcliffe said . `` And clearly if these allegations are proven -- and at the moment they are only allegations -- then it does call into question his role as England captain . `` I speak to the FA on a regular basis , so I will be asking what their viewpoint is and we will see what comes of it . '' Perroncel has enlisted the services of noted celebrity publicist Max Clifford , PA reported , and he said she told him that some of the allegations were true . `` She has never spoken to a single journalist and she 's all over all the papers with all kinds of allegations , some of which she said were true and some of which she said are n't true , '' Clifford told the GMTV television program . `` All I 'm prepared to say is that she 's known John a long time , and obviously I think during that time they 've become very close friends , but anything more than that , I would n't want to say at this particular stage . It 's really for her to decide what she wants to do . '' While Terry 's alleged infidelity may not have the global impact as that of golf superstar Tiger Woods , it could cause big problems for England ahead of June 's World Cup finals in South Africa . Bridge , who is sidelined with injury , is not guaranteed to be part of the squad but has represented his country 36 times and is the regular back-up at left-back for Chelsea 's Ashley Cole . England coach Fabio Capello is out of the UK following a knee operation , but is expected to make a decision on Terry 's future before the friendly international against African Nations Cup winners Egypt on March 3 , PA reported . The FA has released a statement saying that Capello , known to be a strict disciplinarian , `` alone will make the decision about John Terry 's position . '' `` Fabio is fully up to speed with developments regarding John Terry . He spoke with our chairman Lord Triesman and chief executive Ian Watmore today , who both backed him to make the best decision for England on footballing grounds , '' the FA said on its Web site on Monday evening . `` Fabio is dealing with the matter in his own way using his extensive experience as a football manager . '' Terry was first named captain of England after the 2006 World Cup when Steve McClaren took over as manager from Sven Goran Eriksson , and retained the armband when Capello was appointed in 2008 . It is not the first time that Terry has been the subject of controversy . Last year he was accused by a tabloid paper of accepting money to show fans around Chelsea 's training ground , and in 2002 he was cleared by a court after being charged with assault and affray following an incident with a nightclub bouncer . | John Terry 's role as England soccer captain in jeopardy due to his alleged marital infidelity . UK government minister says Terry may be stripped of role if tabloid claims are true . Terry failed in court injunction to stop reporting of affair with teammate 's ex-partner . The 29-year-old has two children with his wife and won a parenting award in 2009 . | [[0, 15], [89, 159], [207, 309], [1328, 1389], [0, 15], [162, 206], [207, 309], [427, 473], [427, 442], [510, 579]] |
-LRB- Tribune Media Services -RRB- -- I 'm lost ! For American Girl book fans , the `` Happy New Year , Julie '' story is an ideal gift for holiday road trips . Hopelessly , completely lost on a winding , backcountry road somewhere in Westchester County , N.Y. . Did I mention it was night and pitch-black ? `` How could you do this ? '' asks my aggravated 16-year-old daughter , Mel . I 'm not even sure . One minute we 're on the highway and a couple of wrong turns later , here we are . None of the maps in the car showed the road we were on . Finally , we spot some open shops and a kind saleswoman in the Gap gave me directions . Guess what I want somebody to give me this holiday ? A portable GPS ! -LRB- Are you listening , elves ? -RRB- L.L. Bean -LRB- www.llbean.com -RRB- has some that are under $ 100 , TomTom -LRB- www.tomtom.com -RRB- , has some for under $ 250 . A GPS would be a welcome gift for any traveling family . It 's no fun getting lost , whether close to home or on vacation in an unfamiliar city or country . Of course , my favorite gift of all would be a trip . Give those you love most the gift of an adventure together someplace new , or someplace that holds special memories , whether you are celebrating a special anniversary , birthday or simply a good year . Outfitters , cruise lines and resorts will help you arrange a custom itinerary -- and give you a good `` reunion '' deal too . Just make sure you get everyone on board with the idea before you fork over your credit card for those nonrefundable deposits . Give the adults different guidebooks about the region and if you are planning a trip to foreign shores , give each of the kids some Euros , Pesos , etc. , to spend when they get there . They 'll have fun and maybe hone a few math skills figuring out how much they 've really got to spend . Maybe you want to encourage your kids ' or grandkids ' interest in exploring the world beyond their community . Buy them a subscription to National Geographic Kids -LRB- www.shopng.org -RRB- and for preschoolers , National Geographic Little Kids -LRB- subscriptions are just $ 15 a year . -RRB- . Those planning road trips or plane trips with their children will thank you every time they travel , if you slip a portable DVD player under the tree or next to the Hanukkah Menorah . Disney -LRB- www.disneyshopping.com -RRB- has a new one that 's compact and has twin 7-inch LCD screens and two sets of headphones . It sells for $ 179.99 . Of course , you 'll need a couple of new DVDs to watch . How about encouraging the young chefs in the gang with Pixar 's `` Ratatouille , '' or spark your little pirate 's sense of adventure with `` Pirates of the Caribbean : At World 's End . '' If you 're planning a holiday trip , bring along your favorite holiday movie . Books on tape are also a great bet for families who prefer the road to the skies . The story can become a shared experience because everyone , including the driver , can listen at the same time , assuming you can get the older kids to turn off their iPods . There are plenty of holiday stories , like `` A Christmas Carol '' performed by Jim Dale , who read the Harry Potter books so well , John Grisham 's `` Skipping Christmas '' -LRB- www.randomhouse.com/audio -RRB- read by Dennis Boutsikaris or Fannie Flagg reading her book `` A Redbird Christmas , '' which I just listened to on a long drive in Colorado . Also check out Brilliance Audio -LRB- www.brillianceaudio.com -RRB- for other titles like Adam Canfield 's `` Watch Your Back '' about the adventures -- and misadventures of an intrepid middle-school reporter . Good old-fashioned books , of course , are great gifts too , especially if you can find one that relates to an experience you 've shared on vacation or to a place you plan to visit . Ask your local children 's librarian for suggestions . Maybe you 've taken the kids to Cirque de Soleil or the Big Apple Circus , if so check out `` The Painted Circus '' -LRB- www.kidscanpress.com -RRB- , which features beautiful illustrations that play tricks on the eye -- great to read together on a plane or at a relative 's house . If you 've been to San Francisco , buy your American Girl book fans -LRB- www.americangirl.com -RRB- the `` Happy New Year , Julie '' story about a girl growing up around San Francisco in the 1970s who celebrates the Chinese New Year with her best friend . An added plus : It will be fun for moms to share what their lives were like `` back in the old days '' through these historically accurate tales . I also like the Mini Mysteries from American Girl . No one should travel these days without a camera in his or her pocket -- to capture all those funny moments that do n't always end up in the family scrapbook . Even better , the kids can take charge of creating family vacation Web pages . The experts at Take Great Pictures -LRB- www.TakeGreatPictures.com -RRB- suggest the Olympus Stylus 770 SW -LRB- $ 379.95 -RRB- because it is shockproof , waterproof , crushproof and only weights 5.5 ounces . For teens , check out the Casio EX-S880 -LRB- $ 249.95 -RRB- , which comes in bright colors and is about the size of a credit card . The Casio EX also features a YouTube Capture mode so they can upload videos to the Web . The experts suggest the Pentax Optio E40 -LRB- under $ 150 -RRB- for kids as young as six . No one , including kids , should travel without a lightweight , rolling duffel . Lands End -LRB- www.landsend.com -RRB- or L.L. Bean -LRB- www.llbean.com -RRB- offer them in a variety of colors and while you 're at it , order a monogrammed fleece blanket for each child for those interminable car trips . I 'm also a fan of fleece jackets and vests for travel because they 're lightweight and dry quickly . You can find them everywhere , even for young kids . -LRB- Check out the selection at Patagonia -LRB- www.patagonia.com -RRB- . Happy shopping . E-mail to a friend . -LRB- For more Taking the Kids , visit www.takingthekids.com , where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments . -RRB- . Copyright 2009 EILEEN OGINTZ , DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES , INC. . | A portable GPS is a useful gift for traveling families . A subscription to National Geographic Kids exposes kids to the world . No one , including kids , should travel without a lightweight , rolling duffel . | [[877, 933], [1948, 2047], [5363, 5386], [5389, 5443]] |
NASSAU , Bahamas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- John Travolta 's lawyer testified Tuesday that the paramedic who drove Travolta 's son to a hospital the day he died later wanted money for documents the driver suggested could be detrimental to the actor . John Travolta 's son died of a seizure in January at the age of 16 . Paramedic Tarino Lightbourne and former Bahamian Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater are on trial , accused of plotting to extort $ 25 million from Travolta after 16-year-old Jett Travolta died from a seizure in the Bahamas . Travolta , who testified last Wednesday , is expected to return to the witness stand later in the week . Travolta 's lawyer , Allyson Maynard-Gibson , said Bridgewater approached her in the days after Jett 's death on January 2 , saying she had a client who had a document Travolta might want . Bridgewater gave her copies of the papers , which included ambulance dispatch reports and a paper signed by Travolta releasing the ambulance company from legal liability , Maynard-Gibson testified . The paramedic expected Travolta would pay millions to prevent publication of the documents because `` he would not want his name tarnished in media , '' Maynard-Gibson said . Bridgewater told Travolta 's lawyer that her client believed the documents could suggest that Travolta was negligent by wanting to take his son to his private jet for a flight to a Florida hospital , instead of going directly to a local hospital , she said . Maynard-Gibson said she called police , who then videotaped a hotel room meeting between the paramedic and another Travolta lawyer . Those investigators testified Tuesday , and their video was expected to be played in court later . Travolta 's testimony last week was the first time he spoke publicly about his desperate efforts to save his son 's life after he suffered a seizure at the family 's vacation home in the Bahamas . Travolta and his wife , actress Kelly Preston , have been in seclusion for most of this year . Friends have described their deep grief over Jett 's death . Travolta said a nanny found Jett unresponsive at the home on the island of Grand Bahamas , where the family was spending their New Year 's holiday . A family friend with a medical background helped in urgent efforts to revive Jett , Travolta said . `` We continued CPR , and my wife was holding his head , '' Travolta said . His wife sat in the Nassau courtroom , sometimes crying as she listened to the testimony . Travolta said he initially told the ambulance driver to rush them to an airport where his private jet was parked . Travolta , who is a pilot , said he wanted to fly his son to a West Palm Beach , Florida , hospital instead of driving him to one in Freeport . The paramedic , however , asked Travolta to sign a statement releasing the ambulance company from liability . `` I received a liability of release document , '' he said . `` I signed it . I did not read it . Time was of the essence . '' Travolta said that while he and his wife were riding in the ambulance with their son , they decided to divert to the hospital . At the hospital , Travolta was told his son `` was n't alive , '' he said . | NEW : Lawyer says defendants used papers to imply negligence in extortion attempt . NEW : She says documents showed Travolta sought alternative to area hospital . Lawyer testifies paramedic tried to extort $ 25 million from John Travolta . Allyson Maynard-Gibson said she was approached in days after Jett Travolta died . | [[1197, 1442], [1238, 1394], [1249, 1442], [312, 386], [402, 490], [1022, 1112], [633, 651], [679, 755]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- All the world 's a stage , Shakespeare wrote long before television came into view . Everyone will be famous for 15 minutes , Andy Warhol added a few centuries later . Which leads us inexorably to Michaele and Tareq Salahi 's exuberant Facebook posting : `` Honored to be at the White House for the state dinner in honor of India with President Obama and our First Lady ! '' They have the pictures to prove it , and the overnight fame , too . The Salahis , with a Bravo camera crew in tow , apparently were trying to ratchet up their prospects for the cable network 's upcoming `` The Real Housewives of D.C. '' If only the Salahis were the exception . But the modern-day reality show genre , spearheaded nearly a decade ago by the first edition of CBS ' `` Survivor , '' has become a tidal wave of cost-efficient TV programming starring ... pretty much anyone . Its inhabitants increasingly are called on to step up the pace in pursuit of myriad available slots on networks large , small and sometimes desperate . Stand out in a crowd , or be pushed aside by someone who will . Crashing a White House state dinner has proved to be just the ticket for the fame-craving Salahis . Their audacious breach of Secret Service security has trumped the reality show aspirations of the `` balloon boy '' family and possibly even knocked Jon Gosselin out of the `` Entertainment Tonight '' spotlight for a day or two . Imagine that . What does this say about us as a people ? Well , the quest for fame is hardly new . Nor is our collective fascination with train wrecks . What 's changed is the escalation in available venues . There 's seemingly no limit to the number of enablers out there . Hitting it big with a `` reality '' franchise can work wonders for a TV network 's bottom line , overall visibility -- or both . Once upon a time , TLC was The Learning Channel . You actually could learn something by watching its instructional and educational programming . But the network gradually got out of that business . And it hit the mother lode with `` Jon & Kate Plus 8 , '' which eventually became the public face of a broken marriage while making the Gosselins internationally famous . Bravo , home to the ever-expanding `` Real Housewives '' franchise , used to devote itself to the performing arts . That began to change in a hurry after NBC Universal took control of the network in 2002 . The network now offers a virtual wall-to-wall reality lineup , with only occasional intrusions from `` Inside the Actors Studio , '' the only remaining evidence of what Bravo used to be . A&E originally launched as the Arts & Entertainment Network . Believe it or not , it once housed an anthology series , `` A&E Stage , '' that brought its audience plays , concerts , documentaries and even opera . The reality bug long since has bitten hard , though , with the once high-minded cable outlet now best known for `` Dog the Bounty Hunter , Intervention '' and `` Criss Angel Mindfreak . '' MTV used to be nothing but music videos . `` The Real World '' changed everything . NBC had a long and well-earned reputation for Emmy-caliber comedies and dramas such as `` Seinfeld , '' `` The Cosby Show , '' `` Frasier , '' `` Hill Street Blues , '' `` ER '' and `` L.A. Law . '' Now its most popular attraction , other than `` Sunday Night Football , '' is a weekly two-hour dose of `` The Biggest Loser , '' where little other than size matters . Against this backdrop , the Salahis in a way are only acting naturally . That 's lamentable , a sad commentary , an appalling sign of our times , etc. , etc. . But TV has created -- and continues to create -- a bottomless pit of venues where preeners are prized commodities and abnormal behavior is not only encouraged but intrinsic to the common goal . The lone exception these days appears to be major league baseball . When a goofball fan runs out onto the field , the cameras turn away so as not to reward the trespasser with a minute or two of national or regional exposure . What a concept . Too bad it 'll never catch on . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ed Bark . | Reality shows are a low-cost form of entertainment for TV networks , says Ed Bark . He says the shows encourage people to do attention-getting stunts . Bark says the White House gate crashers topped `` Jon & Kate '' and the `` balloon boy '' story . TV has created a `` bottomless pit '' of venues for abnormal behavior , Bark says . | [[1198, 1372], [3613, 3615], [3635, 3684]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hondurans will answer two questions Sunday when the troubled Central American nation holds elections : Who will win the presidency , and will voters heed calls for a boycott ? The answer to a third question will remain unanswered for a while : Will the international community recognize the newly elected leader even though the vote was held under the stewardship of interim President Roberto Micheletti , who came to power after a coup ? `` The government needs a strong turnout and limited irregularities in order to claim that the elections are legitimate , especially given that there will not be international observers from the -LSB- Organization of American States -RSB- or the Carter Center , '' said Heather Berkman , a Latin America analyst with the Eurasia Group consulting firm . Ousted President Manuel Zelaya has said he will not recognize the election results and has called for a boycott . Many nations also have said they will withhold recognition of the winner in Honduras . In a written statement , State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the United States `` remains committed to help restore the democratic and constitutional order in Honduras in the wake of the June 28 coup d'etat that removed President Zelaya and led to the suspension of Honduras from the Organization of American States . '' He called the November 29 elections `` another critical step in the restoration of the democratic and constitutional order in Honduras , '' and noted that the electoral process is conducted `` under the stewardship of the multi-party and autonomous Supreme Electoral Tribunal , which was also selected before the coup . '' Honduran authorities seemed to be preparing for violence . Police and the military have stockpiled 10,000 tear gas canisters and other crowd-control equipment , `` triggering fears of an increased risk of excessive and disproportionate use of force by security forces around the presidential elections , '' said the human rights organization Amnesty International . The Gordian knot of Honduran politics was tied early June 28 when a military-backed coup removed Zelaya from power , shuttling him off in his pajamas to nearby Costa Rica . Congress swore in Micheletti , the Legislature 's president , as his replacement a few hours later . The United Nations , OAS , European Union and most nations -- including the United States -- condemned the coup and demanded that Zelaya be reinstated . Five months later , Zelaya is still not in power , holed up instead in the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa , the capital of Honduras . The ousted president returned secretly to his country September 21 and obtained refuge at the embassy . It looked like a solution had been reached October 29 , when Zelaya and Micheletti agreed to a deal brokered by the United States . The pact said Congress would vote on Zelaya 's return to power after consultation with the nation 's Supreme Court and other bodies . The vote was supposed to be held within a week but now is set for next week after the elections . The Supreme Court ruled 14-1 this week that Zelaya can not return to office without facing trial first on charges that he acted unconstitutionally when trying to hold a vote that could have led to the lifting of presidential term limits . The Supreme Court had ruled that the vote was illegal , and Congress had forbidden it . The coup came on the day that vote was supposed to be held . Micheletti stepped down temporarily this week to try to distance himself from Sunday 's elections . He said he will resume office Wednesday . The new president is scheduled to be sworn in January 27 . In addition to the presidency , at stake in Sunday 's election are three vice presidents , 128 members of Congress and mayors and other municipal leaders throughout the nation . Among the five major presidential candidates , Porfirio Lobo Sosa of the opposition National Party is considered the front-runner . Polls last month showed him with a double-digit lead over Elvin Santos of the Liberal Party . Zelaya and Micheletti are Liberal Party members , and their rift has splintered the party . The other three candidates are Bernard Martinez of the Innovation and Unity Party-Social-Democracy , Felicito Avila of the Christian Democrat Party and Cesar Ham of the Democratic Unification Party . A sixth candidate , Carlos Reyes , withdrew this month . Amnesty International said Friday that human rights activists and journalists critical of Micheletti 's government have been receiving increased threats and intimidation . For example , Amnesty International said , the Honduran military requested that a local mayor provide a list of names and telephone numbers for members of the opposition Resistencia movement . `` Today , there 's an environment of fear and intimidation in Honduras , '' said Javier Zuniga , head of Amnesty International 's delegation in Honduras . `` We have seen an increased level of harassment against those who are seen as opposed to the de facto authorities , and officials responsible for the protection of human rights are not doing anything to investigate the incidents or stop them . '' | NEW : U.S. State Department says elections are `` critical step '' to restore order . Many nations likely to withhold recognition of newly elected Honduran leader . Ousted President Manuel Zelaya has called for boycott of Sunday 's elections . Amnesty International says activists facing threats , intimidation . | [[925, 937], [943, 1011], [811, 924], [811, 841], [851, 853], [886, 924], [1966, 2027], [4401, 4572], [4440, 4572], [4777, 4837], [4922, 4984]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 9-year-old girl was laid to rest Wednesday as a 15-year-old girl , described as an acquaintance , was in court on charges she carried out the younger girl 's murder . Elizabeth Olten was coming home from a friend 's house last week in St. Martins , Missouri , when she disappeared . Distraught residents searched for days for Olten without luck , when the Cole County Sheriff 's Department received a tip that led them to the alleged killer . It did n't lead them to a stranger , a child predator or a convicted sex offender -- avenues police had originally considered because of Olten 's age . Instead , it led them to a 15-year-old girl who , according to Peggy Florence , a family spokeswoman , had played with Olten . The girl then led police to the body -- which was found in an area authorities searched before , the sheriff 's department said , but was hidden so well they had n't seen it . Authorities said both physical evidence and some written evidence led to the suspect 's arrest . She has been charged with first-degree murder . On Wednesday , Olten 's family looked towards closure as two drastically different scenes unfolded in Missouri . Olten 's family and friends watched as two white horses pulled her casket in a glass hearse . Hours earlier , a judge had ordered the 15-year-old suspect to be held while he decides whether she should be tried in adult court . Authorities have not released the suspect 's name . Authorities released few details about the case , though they said an autopsy was conducted Saturday . The Olten family spent the day of Elizabeth 's funeral remembering a very special little girl and mourning their loss , choosing to celebrate her life , instead of attending the court hearing of the teen accused of killing her . After the funeral ceremony , they released pink balloons , in honor of Elizabeth Olten 's favorite color . For them , it was about their little girl -- the one who was always ready with a bright smile . `` She wanted to be a mother , she wanted to love others and take care of others , '' family spokeswoman Florence told HLN 's Nancy Grace . `` She was just a lovely child -- she never met an animal she did n't love and dress up and play with . '' She loved to dress up and put on fancy dresses , Florence said , even in the snow and the mud . `` She was a beautiful little girly girl , '' Florence said . `` She had everyone 's heart . '' | 15-year-old suspect accused planning , carrying out murder of 9-year-old . Elizabeth Olten disappeared after returning home from friends house in Missouri . Olten , 9 , and suspect had played together before , family spokeswoman says . Judge will be deciding whether to charge suspect as an adult or juvenile . | [[0, 15], [19, 85], [143, 187], [1754, 1787], [188, 267], [705, 742], [1348, 1403]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Some Democrats had dubbed the possibility of a Barack Obama-Hillary Clinton pairing last year as a `` dream ticket , '' though the notion that the two once-bitter primary rivals would team up always seemed far-fetched . But then-Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama was more seriously considering picking Clinton as his running mate than any of his senior aides realized , according to a forthcoming book by former Obama campaign manager David Plouffe . Yet in the end , it may have been her husband President Clinton -- who had made headlines for his outbursts on the campaign trail during the primary season -- that ultimately scuttled the possibility . In the book , excerpts of which are running in the new issue of Time magazine , Plouffe said Obama took both him and senior aide David Axelrod by surprise when he insisted on including Clinton on the initial list of potential picks for the No. 2 spot on the ticket . `` Obama was clearly thinking more seriously about picking Hillary Clinton than Axelrod and I had realized , '' Plouffe writes . `` He said if his central criterion measured who could be the best VP , she had to be included in that list . '' While Obama continued to consider picking Clinton throughout the summer of 2008 , he ultimately eliminated her name from the list in early August , fearing , Plouffe writes , that there `` were just too many complications outweighing the potential strengths . '' `` I think Bill may be too big a complication , '' Plouffe quotes Obama as saying . `` If I picked her , my concern is that there would be more than two of us in the relationship . '' The new book , `` The Audacity to Win , '' hits book stores November 3 . | Obama-Clinton pairing was deemed a far-fetched dream ticket by Democrats . Obama : `` I think Bill may be too big a complication , '' former campaign manager writes . Obama was more serious about picking Hillary Clinton for VP than aides realized , book says . David Plouffe 's book `` The Audacity to Win , '' hits book stores November 3 . | [[19, 112], [243, 292], [400, 480], [1350, 1364], [1367, 1451], [1458, 1500], [243, 388], [950, 1037], [243, 292], [400, 480], [1679, 1711]] |
CHICAGO , Illinois -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities arrested a man accused of secretly taping ESPN sports reporter Erin Andrews in the nude and posting the videos on the Internet , the FBI said Friday . ESPN reporter Erin Andrews claims someone videotaped her while she was nude and posted video online . Authorities arrested 48-year-old Michael David Barrett at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on Friday . Barrett faces a charge of interstate stalking , the FBI said . Barrett is accused of taping Andrews while she was nude in two hotel rooms . He then made eight videos that he posted on the Internet , the FBI said . Barrett allegedly filmed seven of the eight videos at a hotel room in Nashville , Tennessee , in September 2008 . FBI agents said they found evidence that a peephole to the door of Andrews ' hotel room had been altered . The FBI learned that Barrett checked into the same hotel at that time and asked for a room adjacent to Andrews using his home address to register for the room . According to a criminal complaint , Barrett tried to sell the videos to celebrity gossip Web site TMZ.com . Employees at the Web site also helped in the investigation providing Barrett 's information to Andrews ' attorney . Andrews works as a sideline reporter traveling around the country covering college football games . Barrett will have his first court appearance in Chicago at 10 a.m. -LRB- 11 a.m. ET -RRB- Saturday , authorities said . The maximum penalty for the charge of interstate stalking is five years in federal prison , the FBI said . CNN 's Greg Morrison contributed to this report . | Chicago man accused of secretly videotaping ESPN reporter Erin Andrews in nude . Authorities say Andrews was filmed through peephole in hotel rooms . Videos were later posted on Internet , according to FBI . Michael David Barrett faces interstate stalking charge , authorities say . | [[38, 176], [201, 280], [235, 302], [473, 509], [738, 844], [235, 302], [550, 606], [410, 455], [1431, 1449]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Barcelona are desperate to call on the services of Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic for Tuesday 's vital Champions League group showdown with Inter Milan in the Camp Nou . Barcelona must avoid defeat which could see them make a sensational exit if Russian surprise package Rubin Kazan beat Dynamo Kiev in the other match in Group F . The defending champions have been sweating on leading scorers Messi and Ibrahimovic , who both have thigh injuries . `` Messi has an injury in the abductor muscle of his left thigh , '' read a club statement . `` We do not discard his presence in Tuesday 's game . `` As for Ibrahimovic , there has been an improvement with regards to his thigh injury but we will have to monitor the situation . '' Barcelona have been in indifferent recent form and a 1-1 draw at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday saw them drop behind arch-rivals Real Madrid at the top of the Spanish La Liga . Barca will certainly want the key pair to be fit for next Sunday 's El Clasico against Real , but first comes a European test against Jose Mourinho 's Italian league-leaders . `` We know what we have to do , '' said Barca captain Carles Puyol . `` We have the same ambitions but we know Barca v Inter is a final and we will face the game as such . `` I do n't like the word failure but not to qualify for the next round would be a huge blow , '' he added . `` This game will be a test of character for my players , '' Mourinho told reporters after his side 's 3-1 win over Bologna on Saturday . They will also welcome back Wesley Sneijder , who has recovered from an ankle injury and will field Samuel Eto'o in attack as he returns to the Camp Nou for the first time since his close season transfer switch between the European powerhouses . | Barcelona sweating on fitness of Liionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic . Barcelona 's leading scorers doubtful for match against Inter at Nou Camp . Defeat to Jose Mourinho 's men could see Barcelona eliminated . | [[356, 439], [929, 1020], [194, 266]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Elizabeth McCutchen and a friend were walking to book club two weeks ago in quaint Farmville , Virginia , when they strolled by a home on First Avenue . `` Something smells dead , '' her friend said . They were thinking animal . A dog , a cat , something like that . They never imagined they were smelling the remains of massacred humans . It was Thursday , September 17 . But another 24 hours would pass before police made the gruesome discovery . Richard Samuel McCroskey III -- a 20-year-old rapper in the underground genre of `` Horrorcore '' who sang of chopping people into pieces -- has been arrested in connection with the slayings . The crime scene was so horrifying police would not even describe it , saying only that the victims died of blunt force trauma . The victims were Mark Niederbrock , 50 , the beloved pastor at Walker 's Presbyterian Church ; his 16-year-old daughter , Emma Niederbrock ; Melanie Wells , Emma 's 18-year-old friend from West Virginia ; and Niederbrock 's estranged wife , Debra Kelley , 53 , a professor at Longwood University . McCroskey has been charged only in the killing of Mark Niederbrock . Police and the prosecutor 's office did not return repeated phone calls from CNN . But in late September , authorities said more charges are pending . Emma was described as a fan of Horrorcore and had met McCroskey through their mutual affection for the little-known music genre . Police said she invited McCroskey to fly from his northern California home , stay with her in Virginia and then attend the Strictly for the Wicked Festival , a Horrorcore fest in Michigan featuring bands with names like Dismembered Fetus and Phrozen Body Boy . Nobody saw what would come next . The slayings have been the talk of Farmville , a town of 7,000 that is home to Longwood University and nearby Hampden-Sydney College . Senseless is the word you hear most . It 's not just the macabre nature of the killings that has people talking . It 's the grotesque lyrics of the Horrorcore singer ; it 's that it happened under their noses . McCroskey is a young man with no criminal record who took delight in the blend of horror hip-hop that celebrated macabre killings . He went by the name Syko Sam . In one YouTube video , he holds a hatchet and sings about killing people and putting their remains in black bags : `` Last night I was the murderous rage . Now , I got ta get rid of the bodies before the corpses start to get to rotting . '' ` Stinkiest rascal I 've ever smelled ' Authorities have not specified when the Virginia killings occurred , but at 4 a.m. on Friday , September 18 , tow-truck driver Elton Napier was called out to Poor House Road to help McCroskey , whose car was stuck . Napier said McCroskey was wearing a black-hooded sweatshirt and `` was really smelling bad , like real bad . I ca n't describe it . '' McCroskey was driving Mark Niederbrock 's Honda . Napier said two sheriff 's deputies were at the scene and McCroskey was ticketed for driving without a license . At the time , authorities did n't know the pastor had been slain . When McCroskey hopped into Napier 's flatbed , the tow-truck driver said he started gagging from the odor and immediately rolled down the windows . `` I just held my head out the window so the wind would hit me in the face , '' he said . `` That was the stinkiest rascal I 've ever smelled . '' Napier drove McCroskey about four miles to a convenience store . McCroskey told Napier he was visiting his girlfriend and her father lent him the car . McCroskey fetched a black bag from the Honda before they parted . Napier went inside to get a cup of coffee . According to police , McCroskey eventually caught a cab to Richmond International Airport . By mid-afternoon that same day , police found the bodies at the home on First Avenue . McCroskey was arrested the next day at the airport , where he had spent the night . When he was being led to jail , McCroskey told reporters , `` Jesus told me to do it . '' Suspect 's family , community grieve . Sarah McCroskey of California told CNN-affiliate WWBT that her brother had been looking forward to his visit to Virginia for weeks . She mourned his arrest and struggled with the accusations against him . `` I want to hear his voice . I am so concerned , so worried -- not just for him -LSB- but -RSB- other people , other families involved dealing with this loss , '' she said . Read WWBT 's special coverage . Defense attorney Cary Bowen told CNN , `` I do n't want to say he 's in shock . That 's a medical term , but it 's a big experience for him . ... I 'm not sure he gets the severity of everything right now . '' The community is still devastated by the events as it struggles to move forward . Memorial services were held over the weekend for Emma Niederbrock and her mother , Debra Kelley . The Rev. Sylvia Meadows of Farmville United Methodist Church baptized Emma at age 5 and her father when he was an adult . The pastor said the church has invited an occult specialist to speak with members of the community to help them come to grips with the dark side of humanity . `` We have looked evil in the face and can not deny that it exists , '' Meadows said . `` God is stronger than evil . God is bigger . '' Luther Glenn , a member of Walker 's Presbyterian Church where Niederbrock was pastor , took issue with McCroskey 's comment about Jesus telling him to act . `` I think it 's deeply rooted in Satan , if you want to know the truth . '' Elizabeth McCutchen , who passed the First Avenue home some time after the slayings , said the killings have affected every fabric of the community : the churches , the colleges , and their youth . `` This is the kind of town that goes to the rescue of survivors , but there 's nobody -LSB- left -RSB- -- we ca n't do anything about it , '' she said . CNN 's Gary Tuchman and Susan Chun contributed to this report . | 20-year-old `` Horrorcore '' rapper accused in Virginia slayings . Little known underground genre celebrates macabre killings . Tow-truck driver gave suspect a lift ; said he was `` stinkiest rascal I 've ever smelled '' Defense lawyer said he 's unsure Richard McCroskey `` gets the severity of everything '' | [[2160, 2174], [2180, 2209], [2738, 2846], [2802, 2828], [3344, 3373], [3353, 3373], [3380, 3394], [3395, 3397]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Gregg Keesling chooses his words carefully when he talks about the death of his son , Spc. Chancellor Keesling . As far as he 's concerned , the soldier did n't `` take his own life '' or `` commit suicide . '' His son `` died by suicide , '' Keesling insists -- and he has his reasons why . When 25-year old Chancellor Keesling shot himself in Iraq on June 19 , his family received much support from the military and local officials . Gregg Keesling 's son was given the honor afforded to a fallen service member . The Keesling family went to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to watch as his body was flown back to Indiana six days later . At his burial , seven rifles fired three times each , in true military tradition . Later , the soldier 's aunt created a memorial wall in the family 's Indianapolis living room . On the wall hangs Spc. Keesling 's uniform , the U.S. flag that was handed to his mother , Jannett , after the service and the Indianapolis flag that flew over the state Capitol in his honor . Yet there 's an empty spot on the wall for an honor that never arrived : a letter from the president . Gregg Keesling wanted to know why , especially after hearing President Obama talk about how he struggled to write letters to the families of each and every soldier killed in the war . After pressing for an answer , the family found out the truth : There would be no condolence letter . It 's a matter of policy dating to the Clinton era , according to the White House . The commander in chief sends such letters to the families of troops who have died in combat , but not if they committed suicide , Gregg was told . The policy felt wrong to Gregg and Jannett Keesling . Their son was a hero , and his country should be proud of him , they said . So Gregg Keesling wrote to Obama and Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. , imploring them to rethink the policy . `` The recognition of the president could have profound impact on the family of the suicide victim , '' Keesling wrote in August . Read the letters to President Obama . `` The lack of acknowledgment and condolences from the President , who our family admires greatly , leaves us with an emotional vacuum and a feeling that we his family have somehow -LSB- made -RSB- less of a sacrifice , '' he wrote in another letter to Casey . A White House spokesman said the administration is reviewing the `` inherited '' policy . `` The President 's thoughts and prayers are with every military family who has lost a loved one in service to our country . As Commander-in-Chief , he has worked with Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen to address the mental health needs of our service members , '' spokesman Tommy Vietor wrote in an e-mail . Spc. Keesling completed two tours of duty in Iraq . When he enlisted in 2003 , the family struggled with his decision . But the young soldier was convinced that he made the right decision , telling his family , `` We must have a military , and somebody 's got to be in it . '' Before he deployed 2005 , he was anxious but excited , his mother remembered . However , toward the end of his deployment , the stress of a failing marriage and the shock of war `` began to wear on him terribly , '' Gregg Keesling said . In anger , he threw his wedding ring into the Tigris River , his parents said . He was put under suicide watch , and his ammunition was taken away for several days . At home , though , he was `` back to his old self , '' his father said , adding that his son found a job at FedEx and a new girlfriend . He was treated at the Veterans Affairs clinic for a shoulder injury and burn he suffered during his deployment . His parents assumed he was being treated for everything he needed . In 2009 , he received new deployment orders . His family suggested that he move to his mother 's native Jamaica to avoid service , but the soldier insisted that it was his obligation to see it through , his parents said . When Keesling deployed again , this time as a reservist , he was n't with his original comrades . Instead , he and 10 other Indiana reserves shipped off with a 300-member unit from Tennessee , with just two months of training together . His mental health records were not passed on either , leaving Spc. Keesling to share his past problems with his unit if he so chose . He never did . `` I understand that , but it is a very big burden to put on a soldier to self-identify , '' Gregg Keesling said . In e-mails to his family , Spc. Keesling wrote about how distant he felt from his new brothers in arms . `` I hate going to war with people I do n't know , '' he said to his father . Gregg Keesling said his son struggled with members of his unit who joked about troops who committed suicide , oblivious to his struggles . It became too much to bear . After a long-distance fight with his girlfriend , the soldier said in an e-mail that he wanted to shoot himself . After several phone calls , Spc. Keesling told his mother that he would talk to the Army chaplain . He never did . Instead , 12 hours after that e-mail , he went into a latrine and shot himself . The family believes that his suicide was brought on by the stress of war and the distance from loved ones . To them , it is death by injury like any other incident . `` He died by suicide , '' Gregg said . `` He just had an injury that we just did not recognize . '' And that 's why they want a letter from the president . `` We do n't want to force the president to write a letter of condolence . We hope he would want to , '' Gregg said . `` We hope the president of the United States would want to show the appreciation to a family like ours for the sacrifice we made in allowing our son to become a soldier and defend his country . '' | Family of Spc. Chancellor Keesling , 25 , wants condolence letter from President Obama . Parents believe suicide brought on by stress of war , distance from loved ones . White House : `` Inherited '' policy lets president write only families of fallen soldiers . Family hopes Obama would want to thank them for their sacrifice . | [[5396, 5451], [5412, 5451], [5479, 5526], [5129, 5236], [5149, 5236], [1432, 1456], [1485, 1515], [5396, 5451], [5412, 5451], [5527, 5551], [5581, 5691]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistani soldiers and militants battled Saturday in the country 's vast tribal region , with more than a dozen insurgents killed in airstrikes , at least four soldiers slain in skirmishes and a key village seized by troops , the military said . A Pakistani soldier pictured during operations against militants in June . The fatalities come hours after Pakistani troops launched a massive ground offensive backed up by air power targeting the Taliban in South Waziristan , a refuge and a power base for insurgents operating in Pakistan and along the Pakistani-Afghan border . The highly anticipated offensive , which comes after a wave of suicide attacks in Pakistan , also has prompted the exodus of tens of thousands of civilians , the U.N. refugee agency said . One military official said Pakistani troops seized control of Kotkai , where Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud has lived with fellow commander Qari Hussein , the mastermind behind some of Pakistan 's deadliest suicide attacks . Watch how the offensive began '' Another military official said the airstrikes from jet fighters and helicopter gunships targeted militant hideouts in Kotkai and the villages of Badar , Barwand and Khisur , all strongholds of the Taliban and their late leader Baitullah Mehsud . The official asked not to be identified because he is not authorized to speak to the media . There have been confrontations throughout the day between soldiers and militants . Along with the four slain soldiers , 12 have been wounded , the military said . Gen. Athar Abbas , the Pakistan military spokesman , said the ground offensive in South Waziristan was launched shortly after midnight after the military received clearance from the government . He said the region 's eight entry and exit points have been sealed by troops . Pakistani officials say that about 10,000 to 15,000 militants linked to the Taliban or to al Qaeda operate in South Waziristan , a harsh terrain familiar to militants but difficult for others to navigate . About 28,000 Pakistani soldiers have moved into the epicenter of Taliban activity in the region to counter their activities , officials said . Elsewhere in Pakistan 's tribal region , in the Mohmand Agency , at least eight militants and one soldier were killed Saturday when they exchanged gunfire near a military checkpoint , the military said . For months , the military had been targeting militant hideouts in South Waziristan and other hot spots in Pakistan 's tribal areas . This year , troops launched a large operation targeting militants in the Swat Valley , in Pakistan 's North West Frontier Province . But despite these efforts , insurgents have continued to strike with relative impunity inside Pakistan , brazenly targeting government , police and security locations . The latest attack occurred Friday in the northern city of Peshawar , when a suicide car bomber detonated near a police station , killing 13 people , most of them civilians . The recent wave of deadly attacks has raised concerns about the ability of Pakistan 's security forces to maintain control . The attacks heightened internal and international pressure on the government to take swift and effective action . In a high-level meeting Friday , army chief Gen. Ashfaq Kayani `` gave a detailed briefing on the prevailing national security situation and its ramifications in the future , '' according to a statement from the prime minister 's office . Those who attended the meeting condemned the recent attacks and `` agreed that these elements pose a serious threat to the sovereignty and integrity of the state , '' the statement said . The attacks show `` once again that the militants in Pakistan threaten both Pakistan and the United States , '' White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton said . On Thursday , President Obama approved an additional $ 7.5 billion in assistance to Pakistan over the next five years . | NEW : Official says troops take village of Kotkai . About 28,000 Pakistani soldiers move into epicenter of Taliban activity . Up to 10,000 militants operating in South Waziristan , officials estimate . Tens of thousands of civilians fleeing region , U.N. refugee agency says . | [[233, 263], [805, 873], [2057, 2180], [1851, 2042], [616, 706], [714, 771], [774, 804]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mozart is trying to win a million dollars for New Orleans recovery efforts . But the charitable effort by the 6-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel may be derailed by a dog named after the satirical TV anchorman Stephen Colbert . Mozart 's owner says if he wins , all the prize money will go to charities aiding New Orleans . Both canines are contestants in a dog beauty pageant -- but only one pup can take home the big money . The first round is under way , with a hairy finalist selected each week by the number of fan votes . Mozart , or MoMo as friends and family know him , came in second last week in the Cutest Dog Competition with 2,780 votes . This week he is running neck and neck with a new challenger , Stephen Colbert el dos , a Pomeranian Chihuahua mixed-breed puppy from Atlanta , Georgia . MoMo 's owner is crying foul . `` It 's just coming out of nowhere , '' Cara McCool said . `` It 's just unfortunate . MoMo is named after a famous person too , but he 's dead . '' The Cutest Dog Competition is run by All American Pet Brands . Over 60,000 people have uploaded photos of their adorable dogs to the contest 's Web site . The final 12 pooches will get to compete for the grand prize , a cool million in cash . `` It 's a fraternity or sorority with people who do n't just have pets , these are their family members , their best friends , '' said All American Pet Brands CEO Barry Schwartz . `` He 's my furry child , '' said McCool , a New Orleans piano teacher who named her dog Mozart after her favorite composer . `` Sometimes I pull up chairs for him to sit next to me when I play or teach . He has been known to jump on the bench and actually has put his paws on the keys . '' McCool has been active with several nonprofits working in New Orleans . If Mozart wins she said all the money will got to several charities : Redeemer Presbyterian Disaster Relief , Desire Street Ministries , Louisiana Teachers Save Our Students fund , Cavalier Rescue USA , Musical Arts Society of New Orleans , the Louisiana SPCA , and Teach for America . `` I already support them , but I ca n't afford that much because I 'm a piano teacher , '' she said . If Mozart wins , all that could change . Colbert el dos ' owners did not want to be identified . They told CNN they have only mentioned the contest to a few friends and family members . However , they did post a note about the doggie competition on a Colbert fan site . The owners have not heard from the show but one of the fan sites says Colbert el dos will appear on `` The Colbert Report '' if he makes the top 12 . Renata Luczak , a spokesperson for Comedy Central , could not confirm or deny the pet 's booking , saying , '' ` The Colbert Report ' refrains from commenting on upcoming guests appearing on the show . '' Even without a television appearance , Colbert el dos appears to be benefiting from the famous Colbert name bump . Colbert has wreaked havoc in other online competitions -- from a Hungarian bridge-naming contest to a NASA competition to name a room in the International Space Station . In both cases Colbert won the popular vote . However , NASA pushed back and instead of naming the room in his honor , the agency sent a treadmill to space with the Colbert honorific . In both of those contests , the competitions received heavy promotion during the show , with Colbert urging his viewers to participate . However , in this dog photo fight , Colbert is having an impact without any direct participation . Schwartz said the competition recognizes the outside influence of the Colbert bump . `` If there are those Colbert-named dogs that can get those thousands of votes , we do n't want to leave anyone out , so we added a new daily contest . '' The voting for this week ends at midnight on Saturday . Schwartz said the grand prize winner will be named on Thanksgiving Day . | `` Stephen Colbert El Dos '' is causing some snapping over cute dog contest . The dog , named after the satirical TV anchorman , is in Cutest Dog Competition . Mozart , a 6-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel , had been winning . Mozart 's owner says Colbert came out of nowhere and `` it 's unfortunate '' | [[200, 262], [871, 906], [909, 930], [932, 958]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- All-time major record holder Jack Nicklaus believes that Tiger Woods will return to the golf course in time to appear in next month 's Masters . Woods , 34 , has been out of the game since revelations about his private life were made public late last year but Nicklaus is of the opinion that his fellow - American will want to play at Augusta as he aims to add to his tally of 14 major victories . Speaking to the media before this week 's Honda Classic PGA tournament , Nicklaus , who is four ahead of Woods with 18 major wins , said : `` It would surprise me if he did n't play at Augusta . My guess , as a golfer , is that he will want to . `` His personal life is his personal life . He is a professional golfer and he is a sensational golfer . He is a great athlete , and he 'll figure out his own problems . '' Meanwhile , Woods ' caddie Steve Williams has told New Zealand 's 60 Minutes program that he would have spoken out about the world number one 's alleged affairs if he had known about them . `` In some people 's perception , I 'm involved in it and I 've committed a crime or I 've done wrong , '' Williams said . `` The truth is I knew nothing of what was happening . '' `` It 's been the most difficult time of my life because every single person believed that I should know , or did know , or had something to do with it . `` If I had known something was going on , the whistle would have been blown . `` Of course I 'm mad at him . I 'm close with his wife -- he 's got two lovely children and he 's let them down . But when a guy 's having a tough time , it 's not up to me to beat him with a stick . | Jack Nicklaus believes Tiger Woods will return to golf in time to appear in The Masters . Woods is still four wins short of Nicklaus ' record of 18 major victories . Caddie Steve Williams has spoken of Woods ' troubles on New Zealand TV . | [[0, 15], [62, 163], [490, 498], [505, 546], [836, 845], [848, 996]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Rhode Island school superintendent who last week fired all the teachers and staff from a school whose students were performing poorly said Wednesday she is willing to negotiate now that the union has agreed to support changes . `` It is with great excitement that I read the press release from the Central Falls Teachers ' Union referencing their proposed comprehensive reform agenda , '' said Central Falls Schools Superintendent Frances Gallo in a news release . `` It so closely mirrors my requests for assurances that I am pleased to reassure the union their place in the planning process . I do so with the belief that everyone has come to understand the meaning of comprehensive school reform . '' Gallo added the school district will press ahead with its plan for improving Central Falls High School . In a written statement , American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said the union was pleased that Gallo has agreed to go back to the table . `` The dedicated teachers and staff want nothing more than to continue and improve upon the progress they have made , '' Weingarten said . `` Real , sustainable change will only happen when all stakeholders work together . '' Gallo 's statement came a day after the Central Fall Teachers Union recommended a number of changes , including increasing instructional time for students , enhancing their support and increasing teaching quality . Last week , the school board approved Gallo 's plan to discharge 93 people -- classroom teachers , administrators and other personnel -- at the high school . The school is in a low-income area , and many of its students are Latino with English as their second language . The firings , which were to have become effective at the end of the school year , came after the district failed to reach an agreement with the teachers ' union on a plan for teachers to spend more time with students to improve test scores . A union spokesman said the firings were drastic and cited a 21 percent rise in reading scores and a 3 percent hike in math scores in the past two years . Another official also pointed to progress at the school . But Rhode Island 's Education Commissioner Deborah Gist defended the mass firings , calling them `` many years in coming . '' Gist pointed out that the school 's graduation rate is 48 percent , and `` only 7 percent of the students are proficient in mathematics . '' `` More than half of the ninth-graders are failing more than two classes , which is an indication that they are frustrated , and what we know about student achievement , when students are n't successful in their class , they 're much more likely to drop out of school , '' Gist said . In remarks Monday to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce , President Obama appeared to express support for the firings . `` If a school continues to fail its students year after year after year , if it does n't show signs of improvement , then there 's got to be a sense of accountability , '' he said . `` And that 's what happened in Rhode Island last week at a chronically troubled school , when just 7 percent of 11th graders passed state math tests -- 7 percent . '' The AFT said Obama 's comments `` do not reflect the reality on the ground and completely ignore the teachers ' significant commitment to working with others to transform this school . '' | Rhode Island school superintendent Frances Gallo says she 's willing to negotiate . She fired all 93 teachers and staffers at Central Falls High over academic failures . Gallo says she 'll go back to table now that teachers ' union willing to accept changes . Only 7 percent of the school 's students are proficient in math . | [[0, 15], [72, 118], [1470, 1475], [1484, 1565], [110, 111], [150, 250], [2283, 2420], [2355, 2420], [3101, 3155]] |
Santiago , Chile -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Chile marks three days of mourning starting Sunday , with every house authorized to hang the national flag in memory of those who perished in a massive earthquake a week ago . Hundreds of people died when the 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck on February 27 . It also triggered a tsunami that toppled buildings , particularly in the Maule region along the coast . The death toll was lowered Thursday as authorities reviewed discrepancies in the reported number of victims in the Maule region . To limit confusion , Deputy Interior Minister Patricio Rosende read aloud the names of 279 Chileans whose bodies had been identified by Thursday evening . The new tally does not account for hundreds of unidentified victims . Full coverage of Chile earthquake , aftermath . `` It takes months sometimes to compile the information , because one of the biggest problems in the affected areas is the lack of precision and uncertainty at the scene , '' Rosende said . Aid poured in for Chile from home and overseas , with a local television station hoping to raise $ 27 million by Saturday night and the United Nations pledging money toward recovery efforts . `` Chile Helps Chile , '' a telethon that started Friday , ran until Saturday night . It was unclear whether it had reached its goal early Sunday . United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon pledged up to $ 10 million for relief and recovery efforts during a two-day visit that included a visit with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet . `` I am visiting this city with a deep sadness , '' Ban said Saturday in Concepcion . `` Standing before this destruction , I can feel for your loss , your struggle . '' Shocking scenes hours after quake . Ban also announced a team effort between U.N. agencies and the Chilean government to determine the priority areas for funds , with emphasis on health , shelters , education and water . The secretary-general plans to bring the matter in front of the United Nations on his return . The Chilean government has asked the United Nations for items such as field hospitals with surgical facilities , dialysis centers , generators , saltwater purifying systems , mobile bridges and field kitchens . The United States has also sent in help , including 71 satellite phones and mobile water treatment units , the State Department said . Six more water treatment units are to arrive within a week . A field hospital and two C-130 aircraft to assist with moving supplies around the country have also been deployed . The United States also sent $ 1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to aid their efforts . | Three days of national mourning for victims of Chile earthquake starts on Sunday . Exact number of dead still not known , officials say . Telethon hopes to raise $ 27 million toward relief , recovery efforts . | [[36, 86], [1045, 1182]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The California runner who was lost in a forest for three days without water had barely a few hours to go before she would have died , her doctor said Thursday . Runner Maria `` Gina '' Natero-Armenta , 36 , survived for three days without water in a California forest . Maria `` Gina '' Natero-Armento , 36 , not only survived 72 hours with only a slice of apple in her stomach and a little bit of water for nourishment , she also has only one functioning kidney , Dr. Derrick Hong said . He spoke with CNN on Thursday afternoon , along with Natero-Armento and her husband , Armando Armento , in a conference call interview from her room at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo , California . Natero-Armento is no amateur when it comes to distance or mountain running . She 's one of the top female finishers in a San Diego 100-mile race and an experienced ultrarunner with top times in other 100-mile and 50-mile races . Her body was unusually strong to begin with , but she also has one kidney -- the other does n't function because of a congenital disorder . `` This is extraordinary , '' Hung said . She said she had planned a simple eight-mile run , a small fraction of what the ultrarunner usually tackles in a sport that challenges competitors to run at least farther than a 26.2-mile marathon . She is among the majority of ultrarunners who like doing 100-mile races . She set out from her Oceanside home at 5:30 a.m. Sunday to meet Fidel Diaz , her running partner and brother-in-law , who is also a serious ultrarunner . They planned to run along a trail in the the Cleveland National Forest near San Diego . She brought along two water bottles and wore a Camelpak , a backpack that can be filled with water . That was plenty of water for an eight-mile outing . She did n't bring food with her , but Natero-Armento said she ate a piece of apple before she started , and that was the only food in her stomach . Natero-Armento said she did several things that were out of character that day , and she wishes she had been more prepared . `` I am very careful usually , but that particular day , I was not , '' she said . `` I normally , the night before the long runs , I have everything ready . And this night , I had nothing ready , and it was just a mistake . '' She usually wears a Garmin GPS watch , a sophisticated device that runners use to find out where they are , the distance they have traveled , calories burned and altitude . `` I did n't have my Garmin and was n't wearing a watch , '' she said . `` I do n't know . I always carry food with me , and I did n't have nearly enough . '' `` I always carry my phone with me , and I did n't have my phone with me , and that really was a big mistake , '' she said . Feeling antsy to just get on the trail and run , she was n't thinking deliberately . `` I just wanted to get going that day ; get some fresh air and go for a run . I hurried up . '' Natero-Armento and Diaz began running about 6:30 a.m. Sunday , she said . She lost track of as much as eight hours , she said , as she and Diaz became lost . By then , she was dehydrated and disoriented . And Natero-Armento said she also made another , more serious bad decision . At some point in the run , Diaz had become ill . Ultrarunning is a sport in which some participants sometimes push themselves way too hard . '' -LSB- He was -RSB- pretty much beside me or in front of me , but I do know that I was insisting on keeping going since I was OK , '' she said . `` He does n't eat or drink much ever -LSB- when out on runs -RSB- , so I know he can handle that . '' She said that she kept going because she 'd seen him run hard while sick -- also not uncommon in 50 - and 100-mile races -- and that she figured he could handle it if she pushed him . She said they became separated as they two were going over a rugged hill . `` We had separated because we were going through a hill quite a while and had to go through brush , and that 's how I have a lot of scrapes . So that was very difficult , '' she said . '' -LSB- We -RSB- crawl under and break branches , and that was the only way we were going to get out of there , according to Fidel . So I do n't think he was able to see that I was not there anymore . '' She said that Diaz was in front of her . He would shout to her so they knew the other one was close by : He shouted to her , and she shouted back . Then , at one point , she could n't hear him anymore . `` When I called him and he did n't answer , at this point , I lost a little bit of control , '' she said . Night turned into day . She had no water or food , and she did n't try to eat anything . She became disoriented but had the wherewithal to know that she was completely out of fuel . She did n't have the strength to keep walking , so she climbed into a ravine , believing that would be the safest place . Diaz was not available for an interview Thursday . He was found Wednesday several hours before she was . It 's not clear why he was lost for so long and where , for days , he had traveled in the forest . Rather than ask for water , law enforcement said , Diaz asked how Natero-Armento was doing and if someone had found her . `` I really had to , from the beginning , accept that I was not capable of getting out of there , there was no where to go , '' she said , recalling her hours in the ravine , thinking about her husband and her family . She told herself she would live . `` I knew what I had to do . '' The experience has not scared her away from distance running on trails . When her kidney is strong again , she will be back , running . | Maria `` Gina '' Natero-Armento , 36 , had no food or water for days . She and her running partner say they got lost in Cleveland National Forest . She was found in a ravine Wednesday by a rescue helicopter . | [[180, 194], [226, 288], [4585, 4609], [16, 40], [45, 80], [3045, 3053], [3056, 3085]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least 6,000 Christians have fled the northern Iraqi city of Mosul in the past week because of killings and death threats , Iraq 's Ministry of Immigration and Displaced Persons said Thursday . A Christian family that fled Mosul found refuge in the Al-Sayida monastery about 30 miles north of the city . The number represents 1,424 families , at least 70 more families than were reported to be displaced on Wednesday . The ministry said it had set up an operation room to follow up sending urgent aid to the displaced Christian families as a result of attacks by what it called `` terrorist groups . '' Iraqi officials have said the families were frightened by a series of killings and threats by Muslim extremists ordering them to convert to Islam or face death . Fourteen Christians have been slain in the past two weeks in the city , which is about 260 miles -LRB- 420 kilometers -RRB- north of Baghdad . Mosul is one of the last Iraqi cities where al Qaeda in Iraq has a significant presence and routinely carries out attacks . The U.S. military said it killed the Sunni militant group 's No. 2 leader , Abu Qaswarah , in a raid in the northern city earlier this month . In response to the recent attacks on Christians , authorities have ordered more checkpoints in several of the city 's Christian neighborhoods . The attacks may have been prompted by Christian demonstrations ahead of provincial elections , which are to be held by January 31 , authorities said . Hundreds of Christians took to the streets in Mosul and surrounding villages and towns , demanding adequate representation on provincial councils , whose members will be chosen in the local elections . Thursday , Iraq 's minister of immigration and displaced persons discussed building housing complexes for Christian families in northern Iraq and allocating land to build the complexes . Abdel Samad Rahman Sultan brought up the issue when he met with a representative of Iraq 's Hammurabi Organization for Human Rights and with the head of the Kojina Organization for helping displaced persons . A curfew was declared Wednesday in several neighborhoods of eastern Mosul as authorities searched for militants behind the attacks . CNN 's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report . | More than 1,400 Christian families displaced . Families reportedly frightened by killings and threats by Muslim extremists . Extremists ordering them to convert to Islam , officials say . Fourteen Christians have been slain in the past two weeks in Mosul . | [[10, 30], [43, 157], [639, 764], [733, 800], [1487, 1505], [801, 870]] |
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